Not approved (research only)AMPK activator (nucleoside)Metabolic research
AICAR
AICAR (acadesine) is a nucleoside that activates AMPK in cells, studied as an "exercise mimetic" in animals; it is on WADA's prohibited list.
What is AICAR?
AICAR (acadesine) is a nucleoside that activates AMPK in cells, studied as an "exercise mimetic" in animals; it is on WADA's prohibited list. AICAR is not approved by the FDA for any use; products sold under this name are labeled for research use only, not for human consumption.
Key takeaways
- AICAR is not approved by the FDA for any use; products sold under this name are labeled for research use only, not for human consumption.
- PubMed indexes 2,433 papers on AICAR (18 tagged as clinical trials) as of October 19, 2026.
- 6 vendors in our directory listed AICAR in their public catalog on October 19, 2026.
Regulatory & access status
AICAR is not approved by the FDA for any use; products sold under this name are labeled for research use only, not for human consumption.
Sellers that market unapproved peptides for human use can receive FDA warning letters; our vendor directory links any letter we found on fda.gov.
How much research exists on AICAR?
PubMed indexes 2,433 papers mentioning AICAR in the title or abstract, 523 of them from the last five years and 18 tagged as clinical trials (search run October 19, 2026; repeat the search).
Most relevant recent papers
- Administration of AICAR, an AMPK Activator, Prevents and Reverses Diabetic Polyneuropathy (DPN) by Regulating Mitophagy. — Int J Mol Sci, 2024
- Liposome-encapsulated AICAR hydrogel regulates macrophage metabolic reprogramming via SIK1 activation to alleviate osteoarthritis. — J Nanobiotechnology, 2025
- AICAr, a Widely Used AMPK Activator with Important AMPK-Independent Effects: A Systematic Review. — Cells, 2021 · review
- AICAr Inhibition of cardiomyocyte autophagy promotes p62-dependent NRF2 expression and protection against doxorubicin toxicity. — Cell Mol Life Sci, 2025
- AICAR confers prophylactic cardioprotection in doxorubicin-induced heart failure in rats. — J Mol Cell Cardiol, 2024
- Aicar effect in early neuronal development. — Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids, 2018
What the evidence does not show
- Paper counts measure research attention, not whether AICAR works or is safe.
- No FDA review of any "research use only" product's identity, purity, sterility or dose.
Research suppliers that list AICAR
6 vendors in our directory listed a product matching AICAR in their public catalog on October 19, 2026. Listed alphabetically; a listing is not an endorsement. Research use only.
Prices per mg, where we could verify them, are on our price comparison.
AICAR reconstitution math
Lab arithmetic only, not dosing guidance: vial-by-vial concentration tables are on AICAR 50 mg vial math.
AICAR FAQ
Is AICAR FDA-approved?
AICAR is not approved by the FDA for any use; products sold under this name are labeled for research use only, not for human consumption.
Is AICAR safe?
Safety data come from the published studies listed on this page; read them in full. Products sold as "research use only" have no FDA review of their purity, sterility or dose.
How much research is there on AICAR?
PubMed indexes 2,433 papers on AICAR (18 tagged as clinical trials) as of October 19, 2026.
Who sells AICAR?
Biotech Peptides, Core Peptides, Ion Peptide, Modern Aminos, Pharma Grade Peptides, Pure Lab Peptides listed it on their public catalogs when we checked; a listing is not an endorsement.
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