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AMIRAVOResearch Library

5-Amino-1MQ vs MOTS-c

5-Amino-1MQ and MOTS-c are both discussed as metabolic research compounds, but they are different kinds of molecule: 5-amino-1MQ is a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), and MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA 1,2,3. Neither has an FDA-approved application 4,5. No human trial results were located for either, and no registered trials of 5-amino-1MQ were found 6.

Unbranded reference vial illustrating 5-Amino-1MQ; not an actual product
5-Amino-1MQ
Not approved — research use only
Unbranded reference vial illustrating MOTS-c; not an actual product
MOTS-c
Not approved — research use only

Side by side

Field5-Amino-1MQMOTS-c
ClassSmall-molecule NNMT inhibitor (quinolinium compound; not a peptide) 1,2Mitochondrial-derived peptide 3,7
Origin and structureSynthetic 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium cation, formula C10H11N2+ 216-amino-acid peptide encoded by a short open reading frame in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene; PubChem formula C101H152N28O22S2 3,8
Proposed mechanismInhibits NNMT, an enzyme linked to cellular energy balance and methylation potential 1,9In mouse and cell studies, inhibited the folate cycle and de novo purine synthesis, leading to AMPK activation, with skeletal muscle as the main target 3
Half-lifeIn mice only: terminal half-life of 6.3 hours after intravenous administration, with oral bioavailability of 3.5% (animal data) 10Not located in the sources reviewed
Highest human trial phaseNo registered human trials found 6No human trial results located; in humans, endogenous MOTS-c levels were measured after exercise 13
FDA statusNot approved; no Drugs@FDA record as of 24 October 2026 4; not listed in any category of FDA's 503A bulk nominations list updated 14 May 2026 11Not approved; no Drugs@FDA record as of 24 October 2026 5; listed by FDA among bulk substances previously in compounding category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn (content current 22 April 2026) 12
Published human outcomesNone locatedNo interventional human outcomes located; in humans, exercise raised endogenous MOTS-c in skeletal muscle and circulation 13
Safety signalsNo human safety data located; a 2026 review notes that earlier NNMT inhibitors had unknown safety profiles 9FDA cites possible immunogenicity and states it has not identified any human exposure data for MOTS-c drug products 12
WADA statusNot named on the 2026 Prohibited List; class S0 covers pharmacological substances not addressed elsewhere with no current approval by any governmental health authority 14Named in S4.4.1 (activators of AMP-activated protein kinase); prohibited at all times 14
Who funded the evidenceMouse studies supported by NIH and other US grants; authors of the 2024 mouse study disclosed links to Ridgeline Therapeutics 1,15Discovery and mouse studies supported by NIH institutes 3,13

5-Amino-1MQ: what the data says

All evidence located for 5-amino-1MQ is from animals or cells 1,15,16.

  • In diet-induced obese mice (animal data), 28 days of treatment limited gains in body weight and fat mass, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and reduced fatty-liver changes 1.
  • In diet-induced obese mice switched to a low-fat diet (animal data), NNMT inhibition was associated with a distinct gut microbiome pattern 15.
  • In HeLa cervical cancer cells (cell data), it inhibited proliferation 16.
  • No registered human trials were found 6.

MOTS-c: what the data says

MOTS-c was identified in 2015 as a peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA 3.

  • In mice (animal data), treatment prevented age-related and high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity 3.
  • In young, middle-aged and old mice (animal data), MOTS-c improved physical performance; in humans, exercise increased endogenous MOTS-c levels 13.
  • A review reports that plasma MOTS-c levels decline with age and that no established clinical method of using MOTS-c has been developed 7.

Key research differences

  • Molecule type: 5-amino-1MQ is a small quinolinium molecule, while MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide 2,3.
  • Target: 5-amino-1MQ inhibits the enzyme NNMT, whereas MOTS-c is reported to act through the folate cycle and AMPK activation 1,3.
  • Anti-doping: WADA names MOTS-c under S4.4.1, whereas 5-amino-1MQ is not named on the 2026 List 14.
  • FDA compounding lists: MOTS-c appears on FDA's category 2 page (withdrawn nominations), whereas 5-amino-1MQ is absent from the 503A nominations list 11,12.

Where the evidence is limited

There is no study comparing the two compounds, and nearly all evidence for both is from mice or cells 1,3. Animal findings on metabolism cannot be assumed to apply to humans, and FDA states it has identified no human exposure data for MOTS-c drug products 12. The 5-amino-1MQ mouse data come partly from authors linked to a company developing NNMT inhibitors 1.

Frequently asked questions

Is 5-amino-1MQ a peptide like MOTS-c?
No. 5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule quinolinium compound that inhibits NNMT, whereas MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide 1,2,3.
Have 5-amino-1MQ or MOTS-c been tested in humans?
No human trial results were located for either, and no registered trials of 5-amino-1MQ were found 6.
Are they banned in sport?
MOTS-c is named in section S4.4.1 of the WADA 2026 Prohibited List and is prohibited at all times. 5-Amino-1MQ is not named, although class S0 covers unapproved pharmacological substances not listed elsewhere 14.

References

  1. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibition mitigates obesity-related metabolic dysfunction Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024
  2. PubChem compound record for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium (CID 950107): molecular formula C10H11N2+ PubChem. 2026
  3. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance Cell Metab. 2015
  4. Drugs@FDA application data queried through openFDA for "5-amino-1MQ" (no matching application record returned on 24 October 2026) openFDA / Drugs@FDA. 2026
  5. Drugs@FDA application data queried through openFDA for MOTS-c (no matching application record returned on 24 October 2026) openFDA / Drugs@FDA. 2026
  6. ClinicalTrials.gov registry search for 5-amino-1MQ as intervention (0 records; retrieved 24 October 2026) ClinicalTrials.gov. 2026
  7. MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic exploitation Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023
  8. PubChem compound record for MOTS-c (CID 146675088): molecular formula C101H152N28O22S2 PubChem. 2026
  9. Emerging opportunities for nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) inhibitor clinical translation Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2026
  10. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibition mitigates obesity-related metabolic dysfunction (full text) Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024
  11. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (updated May 14, 2026) FDA. 2026
  12. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (content current as of 04/22/2026) FDA (Human Drug Compounding). 2026
  13. MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis Nat Commun. 2021
  14. The 2026 Prohibited List - World Anti-Doping Code, as published in the Netherlands Treaty Series (Tractatenblad 2026, 25; Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention appendix, in force 1 January 2026) Tractatenblad (Official Publications of the Kingdom of the Netherlands). 2026
  15. Reduced calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice Sci Rep. 2022
  16. Small molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase shows anti-proliferative activity in HeLa cells J Obstet Gynaecol. 2021

For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement. This page compares published research and is not medical advice or a recommendation.