5-Amino-1MQ Research Guide: NNMT Inhibitor, Formats

For laboratory research use only.

5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small-molecule nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) inhibitor used in metabolic research. It is not a peptide and should not be filed among GHRPs or copper peptides simply because it shares a storefront category.

Chemical identity

PubChem lists 1-methylquinolin-1-ium-5-amine as CID 950107 with formula C₁₀H₁₁N₂⁺ and molecular weight about 159.2 for the cation (PubChem CID 950107). Counter-ions and salt forms on commercial lots matter for mass and analytical identity; LC–MS methods have been developed specifically for quantifying 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium in rat plasma (LC-MS/MS assay).

NNMT biology and inhibitor findings

NNMT methylates nicotinamide using S-adenosylmethionine, linking NAD⁺ salvage chemistry to methylation potential. Neelakantan and colleagues described selective, membrane-permeable small-molecule NNMT inhibitors—including the 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium chemotype—that reduced 1-methylnicotinamide, altered NAD⁺/SAM-related readouts, and reversed high-fat-diet–induced obesity phenotypes in mice in the reported study (Neelakantan et al., 2018). Follow-on work combining calorie restriction with NNMT inhibition examined microbiome and metabolic outcomes in diet-induced obese mice (NNMT inhibition + diet study).

What not to infer

Pathway cartoons that place NNMT next to NAD⁺ biosynthesis do not make 5-Amino-1MQ interchangeable with NAD⁺, NMN, or nicotinamide. Mouse metabolic phenotypes are not established clinical benefit. Confirm the salt form on the label before comparing lots or matching a methods paper.

Sources

Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. (Biochem Pharmacol, 2018, PMID 29155147)
Development & validation of LC-MS/MS assay for 5-amino-1-methyl quinolinium in rat plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability studies. (J Pharm Biomed Anal, 2021, PMID 34304009)
Reduced calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice. (Sci Rep, 2022, PMID 35013352)
PubChem CID 950107: 1-methylquinolin-1-ium-5-amine (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium)