AICAR (CAS 2627-69-2), formally designated 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-beta-D-ribofuranoside and also known as Acadesine, is a cell-permeable nucleoside analogue with the molecular formula C9H14N4O8 and a molecular weight of 338.21 g/mol. Unlike the peptide compounds in this catalogue, AICAR is a purine biosynthesis intermediate whose mechanism of action centres on its intracellular phosphorylation to ZMP (AICA ribotide), which acts as an allosteric activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Acadesine is produced via chemical synthesis and is widely used as a pharmacological tool compound in metabolic and cellular energy sensing research.

AICAR has been extensively investigated in preclinical metabolic research as one of the most frequently referenced AMPK activators. Its conversion to ZMP has been characterised in published studies as mimicking the intracellular accumulation of AMP, with downstream AMPK activation and phosphorylation cascades documented in intact cell preparations examining cellular energy homeostasis-related signalling. In vitro studies in rat hepatocyte preparations have examined AICAR-mediated AMPK activation kinetics and downstream metabolic signalling, characterising intracellular ZMP accumulation as the primary basis of AMPK engagement in intact cells and documenting downstream effects on fatty acid oxidation and related metabolic pathways as readouts of pharmacological AMPK activation [1]. In vivo rodent studies in rat skeletal muscle tissue have investigated AICAR-mediated AMPK activation, with published research documenting increases in mitochondrial enzyme expression as markers of pharmacological AMPK engagement and characterising downstream mitochondrial biogenesis-related adaptations under controlled experimental conditions [2], making Acadesine a key reference compound in AMPK activation research across metabolic and cellular energy sensing models.

AICAR is manufactured in a cGMP compliant laboratory to a guaranteed purity of 98% or above. Every batch is independently tested using HPLC and MS-UPLC analysis before dispatch. Vials are vacuum sealed and stored in a temperature controlled, monitored cold storage system. Certificates of Analysis are available on request.

Sold strictly for in vitro research purposes only. Not for human consumption. Intended for use by qualified researchers in laboratory settings only.

Editorial Team

Dr. Martina Rossi, PhD

Scientific Contributor and Reviewer

Reviewed and approved 14 June 2026

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