Peptide Lab HQ Research Guide
AICAR
A research-focused compound profile covering AICAR identity, Acadesine research, AMPK pathway activation, metabolic signaling models, exercise-mimetic research context, concentration reference, preparation reference, and safety considerations.
Compound Data
Compound Profile
| Compound Name | AICAR |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Acadesine |
| Common Synonyms | AICA riboside, 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside, AICAr, Acadesine |
| Compound Type | Synthetic adenosine analog / AMPK-pathway research compound |
| CAS Number | 2627-69-2 |
| PubChem CID | 17513 |
| Molecular Formula | C₉H₁₄N₄O₅ |
| Molecular Weight | Approximately 258.23 g/mol |
| Active Metabolite Context | AICAR can be phosphorylated intracellularly to ZMP / AICA ribotide, an AMP-like metabolite associated with AMPK activation. |
| ZMP / AICA Ribotide Formula | C₉H₁₅N₄O₈P |
| ZMP / AICA Ribotide Molecular Weight | Approximately 338.21 g/mol |
| Research Category | AMPK activation, cellular energy metabolism, glucose uptake, fatty-acid oxidation, skeletal muscle metabolism, exercise-mimetic, metabolic syndrome, and mitochondrial pathway research |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid or lyophilized powder, depending on supplier documentation |
| Use | For laboratory research use only. |
Research Applications
Key Research Applications
AICAR is commonly discussed in controlled research models involving AMPK pathway activation, cellular energy sensing, glucose uptake, fatty-acid oxidation, mitochondrial signaling, skeletal muscle metabolism, metabolic-stress response, and exercise-mimetic pathway research.
AMPK Pathway Research
AICAR is commonly used as a pharmacological AMPK activator in cell-culture and animal research models involving cellular energy regulation.
Cellular Energy Metabolism
Used in research involving AMP-like signaling, ATP demand, metabolic stress, substrate utilization, and cellular energy-homeostasis pathways.
Glucose Uptake Models
AICAR research is often connected with skeletal muscle glucose transport, insulin-sensitivity context, and metabolic-response documentation.
Fatty-Acid Oxidation Research
AICAR is commonly discussed in models involving acetyl-CoA carboxylase signaling, malonyl-CoA regulation, lipid metabolism, and fatty-acid oxidation.
Exercise-Mimetic Research
Published mouse research has evaluated AICAR as an exercise-mimetic compound in skeletal muscle endurance and metabolic gene-expression models.
Inflammatory / Metabolic Models
AICAR has appeared in research involving adipose inflammation, metabolic syndrome models, skeletal muscle signaling, and AMPK-dependent or AMPK-independent pathway observations.
Research Scope
These applications are provided for educational and research-reference purposes only. Research outcomes may vary based on compound form, concentration, exposure duration, model type, route, metabolic status, AMPK expression, and laboratory conditions.
Reference Only
Reconstitution / Research Dosing Reference
Quick Reference Summary
| Reference Vial | 20 mg AICAR |
|---|---|
| Primary Solution Volume | 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water |
| Primary Concentration | 20 mg/mL |
| Measurement Reference | On a U-100 syringe, 1 unit = 0.01 mL. |
| Amount per U-100 Unit | At 20 mg/mL, 1 unit equals 0.2 mg / 200 mcg AICAR. |
| Storage Reference | Refrigerate at 2–8°C / 35.6–46.4°F after preparation, protected from direct light, unless supplier documentation specifies otherwise. |
Reconstitution Steps
- Draw 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water using a sterile syringe for the main concentration reference shown below.
- Slowly add the BAC water down the side of the vial wall.
- Gently roll or swirl the vial until the material is completely dissolved. The solution should appear clear to slightly hazy depending on concentration and supplier format. Do not shake!
- Because this is a concentrated 20 mg/mL preparation and AICAR is commonly referenced as a small-molecule research compound rather than a standard peptide, verify solvent compatibility, solubility, and handling notes against the supplier COA, batch record, or formula record when available.
- Label with compound name, vial amount, concentration, solvent volume, preparation date, storage conditions, and handling notes.
- Store refrigerated at 2–8°C / 35.6–46.4°F, protected from direct light, unless supplier documentation specifies otherwise.
Published Research Context
| Reference Type | Reported Amount / Context | Research Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compound Identity Reference | AICAR, also referenced as AICA-riboside, acadesine, or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside | AICAR is commonly discussed as an adenosine analog and AMPK-modulating research compound in cellular energy and metabolic-marker research contexts. |
| AMPK Research Context | AMP-activated protein kinase pathway context | AICAR is widely discussed as a pharmacological AMPK modulator used in studies involving energy sensing, cellular stress, glucose uptake, lipid metabolism, and metabolic regulation. |
| ZMP / Nucleotide Research Context | Intracellular phosphorylation and ZMP-related signaling context | Research discussions commonly describe AICAR conversion into ZMP-like intracellular metabolites that interact with AMP-sensitive signaling pathways depending on the model. |
| Glucose / Lipid-Metabolism Research | Model-dependent metabolic-marker tracking | Commonly discussed in glucose uptake, insulin-sensitivity markers, fatty-acid oxidation, lipid-handling markers, mitochondrial response, and cellular energy-homeostasis research models. |
| Skeletal-Muscle Research Context | Exercise-mimetic and muscle-metabolism context | AICAR is often discussed in skeletal-muscle glucose transport, endurance-model, mitochondrial adaptation, neuromuscular marker, and muscle-energy pathway research contexts. |
| Cellular-Stress / Cancer Biology Context | Preclinical and pathway-dependent context | AICAR has appeared in research involving cellular stress response, AMPK biology, proliferation markers, apoptosis markers, and cancer-pathway studies. Model context is especially important. |
| Public Protocol-Style Reference | Milligram-range reference examples | Public protocol-style references may describe AICAR in milligram-range examples depending on the research model and preparation format. These are not clinical dosing standards. |
| Clinical / Research-Chemical Status | No universal research-chemical protocol established | Published study references, preclinical model references, public protocol-style references, or wellness protocols should not be treated as dosing instructions for research-chemical vial formats. |
Concentration Reference
| Vial Amount | Solution Volume | Final Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| 20 mg | 1.0 mL | 20 mg/mL |
Research Dosing Amount / Volume Reference
| Reference Amount | Volume at 20 mg/mL | U-100 Unit Reference | Approx. References per 20 mg Vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 mg / 250 mcg | 0.0125 mL | 1.25 units | 80 |
| 0.5 mg / 500 mcg | 0.025 mL | 2.5 units | 40 |
| 1 mg / 1000 mcg | 0.05 mL | 5 units | 20 |
| 2 mg / 2000 mcg | 0.10 mL | 10 units | 10 |
| 5 mg / 5000 mcg | 0.25 mL | 25 units | 4 |
| 10 mg / 10000 mcg | 0.50 mL | 50 units | 2 |
| 20 mg / 20000 mcg | 1.00 mL | 100 units | 1 |
Research Frequency / Amount Reference
| Research Window | Frequency | Reference Amount | Units / Volume Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Conversion Reference | Calculation reference only | 0.25 mg reference amount | 1.25 units / 0.0125 mL |
| Low Conversion Reference | Calculation reference only | 0.5 mg reference amount | 2.5 units / 0.025 mL |
| Standard Conversion Reference | Public protocol-style reference, not a clinical dosing standard | 1 mg reference amount | 5 units / 0.05 mL |
| Mid-Range Conversion Example | Public protocol-style reference, not a clinical dosing standard | 2 mg reference amount | 10 units / 0.10 mL |
| Upper Conversion Example | Calculation reference only | 5 mg reference amount | 25 units / 0.25 mL |
| High Conversion Example | Calculation reference only | 10 mg reference amount | 50 units / 0.50 mL |
| Full-Vial Preparation Reference | Preparation-level calculation reference | 20 mg reference amount | 100 units / 1.00 mL |
Common Research Windows
| Reference Window | Common Length | Research Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cell-Culture / AMPK Marker Window | 24–72 hours | May be used for AMPK pathway activation, ACC phosphorylation marker, glucose-uptake marker, fatty-acid oxidation marker, cellular-stress response, or energy-sensing pathway documentation depending on the model. |
| Acute Metabolic Observation Window | Single session to several days | Used for short-term metabolic-marker comparison, glucose-transport observation, mitochondrial-response tracking, or early pathway documentation depending on the research design. |
| Short Research Window | 1–4 weeks | May be used for early controlled observation involving glucose-handling markers, skeletal-muscle metabolism, lipid-metabolism markers, or mitochondrial-response endpoints. |
| Standard Protocol-Style Window | 4–8 weeks | Commonly used in public protocol-style references for structured observation and comparison across baseline and follow-up periods. |
| Extended Observation Window | 8–12 weeks or longer | Used when longer documentation is needed for metabolic-marker trends, skeletal-muscle adaptation markers, mitochondrial-function markers, or follow-up marker tracking. |
| Follow-Up / Washout | 2–8 weeks | Used to document post-study observations, marker return, delayed response patterns, or follow-up data depending on the research model. |
Research Note: These tables are provided for educational, research-planning, concentration, frequency-reference, and volume-reference purposes only. AICAR, also referenced as AICA-riboside or acadesine, is commonly discussed in AMPK, ZMP-related signaling, glucose uptake, fatty-acid oxidation, skeletal-muscle metabolism, cellular energy sensing, mitochondrial response, metabolic-marker, and cellular-stress research contexts. This reference uses a 20 mg vial reconstituted with 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water, creating a 20 mg/mL concentration. Because AICAR is commonly referenced as a small-molecule research compound rather than a standard peptide, solvent compatibility and solubility should be verified against the supplier COA, batch record, or formula record when available. Published study references, preclinical model references, and public protocol-style frequency references are not universal research-chemical dosing standards and should not be treated as dosing instructions for research-chemical vial formats. This information is not medical advice, dosing instruction, injectable-use guidance, or a recommendation for human or animal use.
Research Notes
Research Findings & Safety Notes
Research Findings
AICAR is commonly discussed in research involving AMPK activation, ZMP formation, glucose uptake, fatty-acid oxidation, skeletal muscle metabolism, endurance-marker research, mitochondrial signaling, and metabolic-stress response models.
Study Limitations
AICAR research includes cell-culture studies, animal models, metabolic research, and limited human research contexts. Findings should be interpreted according to compound form, dose, route, tissue type, AMPK status, exposure duration, and study model.
Safety Considerations
Research discussion should account for AMPK pathway activation, off-target or AMPK-independent effects, metabolic-marker monitoring, compound purity, sterility documentation, solvent compatibility, storage conditions, and qualified laboratory handling procedures.
Use Restriction
Not for human or animal consumption. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease when discussed as a research-use material.
Related Supplies
Research Supplies
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Bacteriostatic Water
Commonly referenced in laboratory preparation workflows.
Research Syringes
Supply category for controlled laboratory research preparation.
Prep Supplies
Supporting supplies for clean handling, preparation, and documentation.
Lab Handling
Handling & Storage
Storage
Store materials according to product-specific requirements. Protect from excessive heat, moisture, and direct light.
After Reconstitution
Keep refrigerated after reconstitution unless otherwise specified by the product documentation.
Handling
Use appropriate laboratory PPE, clean handling practices, and qualified research procedures.
Documentation
Maintain batch details, COA records, preparation notes, and internal research documentation.