Is 5-Amino-1MQ a Peptide? What It Is and How It Is Supplied

5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide. It is a small organic molecule, 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, made of a quinoline ring system carrying an amino group and a methylated, positively charged nitrogen. It is usually supplied as its iodide salt, with the formula C10H11IN2, a molecular weight of about 286.1 Da and the CAS number 42464-96-0. It appears in peptide catalogs because it is sold through the same research-chemical channels and often in the same lyophilized vial format.

Why is it called 1MQ?

The name abbreviates 1-methylquinolinium. The prefix 5-amino gives the position of the amino group on the ring. The parent cation, without its counterion, has a molecular weight of about 159.2 Da.

What has it been studied for?

5-Amino-1MQ was described as a selective, membrane-permeable inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme that methylates nicotinamide. In a study in mice fed a high-fat diet, it was reported to reverse diet-induced weight gain [1]. Later studies in mice have examined NNMT inhibition further [2]. These findings come from animal and cell work and do not describe a use in humans.

What does the weight on the label mean?

Because the compound is a salt, the weight of material in a vial includes the iodide counterion. Iodide accounts for about 44.4 percent of the salt's mass, so 50 mg of the iodide salt contains about 27.8 mg of the 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium cation. A label or certificate should state whether the stated amount refers to the salt or to the cation, and the CAS number should match the form described.

How is it tested?

As a small molecule, it is characterized by HPLC for purity and by mass spectrometry, where the cation appears near 159 Da. Peptide-specific measures such as amino acid analysis or net peptide content do not apply.

Frequently asked questions

Why do CAS numbers for 5-Amino-1MQ differ?

The iodide salt and the free cation are registered separately. Listings that give a CAS number without stating the form may refer to either.

Is 5-Amino-1MQ the same as NNMT?

No. NNMT is the enzyme; 5-Amino-1MQ is a compound studied as an inhibitor of that enzyme.

How does FLASK list it?

FLASK lists 5-Amino-1MQ as the iodide salt (C10H11IN2, CAS 42464-96-0), 50 mg per vial.