SLU-PP-332 and 5-Amino-1MQ appear together in many UK searches ("SLU-PP-332 UK", "5-amino-1MQ capsules UK", "SLU PP 332 benefits", "5 amino 1MQ side effects") and are often listed side by side. They are unrelated molecules with different targets, and they share one important thing: every efficacy result published for either of them comes from cells or from mice. No human clinical trial of either compound has been published. This guide explains what each compound is, what the mouse studies actually measured, what is not known, the regulatory position in the UK, EU and US, the WADA status, and how to verify a batch before buying for research.
What is SLU-PP-332?
SLU-PP-332 is a small synthetic molecule developed by researchers at Saint Louis University and collaborating institutions, and described in detail in a 2023 paper. It is a pan-agonist of the oestrogen-related receptors (ERR alpha, beta and gamma), a family of orphan nuclear receptors that regulate genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, fatty-acid oxidation and the transcriptional programme that skeletal muscle switches on during aerobic exercise. It has the highest potency at ERR alpha, the subtype that the authors noted had proved hardest to target with synthetic agonists. Because ERR alpha activation reproduces part of the gene expression signature of an acute bout of endurance exercise, the authors described the compound as an "exercise mimetic". That phrase has since been lifted out of the papers and used in marketing in a way the papers do not support: it describes a transcriptional response in mouse muscle, not an effect in people.
SLU-PP-332 is not a peptide, despite frequently being listed under "peptides". It is a low-molecular-weight organic compound: PubChem lists it as 4-hydroxy-N-[(E)-naphthalen-2-ylmethylideneamino]benzamide, formula C18H14N2O2, molecular weight about 290, CAS 303760-60-3. Chemically it is an acylhydrazone joining a naphthalene ring to a 4-hydroxybenzoyl (phenol) group. Three of the authors of the original paper declared shareholdings in a company focused on ERR-based therapeutics, a conflict of interest the paper states openly.
What is 5-Amino-1MQ?
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small, positively charged quinolinium compound identified at the University of Texas Medical Branch as an inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). NNMT is a cytosolic enzyme that transfers a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to nicotinamide, producing 1-methylnicotinamide. In doing so it consumes both a NAD+ precursor and the cell's main methyl donor. The authors cite earlier work showing NNMT expression is raised in the white adipose tissue of obese and diabetic mice, and describe it as over-expressed with ageing in skeletal muscle, which is why inhibiting it was proposed as a way to raise intracellular NAD+ and S-adenosylmethionine. PubChem lists the ion as 1-methylquinolin-1-ium-5-amine (C10H11N2+, CAS 685079-15-6); as a permanently charged cation it is supplied as a salt. The 2017 structure-activity paper screened quinolinium, isoquinolinium, pyridinium and benzimidazolium scaffolds and identified methylquinoliniums as the most promising series, with inhibition of the enzyme at around 1 micromolar. 5-Amino-1MQ is a member of that series. Like SLU-PP-332, it is not a peptide.
Mechanism, side by side
| Feature | SLU-PP-332 | 5-Amino-1MQ |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular class | Synthetic nuclear receptor agonist | Synthetic enzyme inhibitor |
| Target | ERR alpha, beta and gamma (highest potency at ERR alpha) | Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) |
| Proposed downstream effect (mice) | Induction of aerobic exercise gene programme, more oxidative type IIa fibres | Lower 1-methylnicotinamide, higher NAD+ and SAM, reduced lipogenesis in adipocytes |
| Human clinical trials | None published | None published |
| Route used in studies | Intraperitoneal injection in mice (2023 study) | Subcutaneous injection in mice (2018 study); permeability assessed in cell assays |
| Licensed anywhere | No | No |
What the research reports: SLU-PP-332
The 2023 paper in ACS Chemical Biology reported that SLU-PP-332 increased mitochondrial function and cellular respiration in a skeletal muscle cell line. When given to mice by intraperitoneal injection, it increased the proportion of type IIa oxidative muscle fibres and increased running endurance on a treadmill test. The authors reported that ERR alpha activation was critical for the endurance effect, and in muscle cells taken from ERR alpha knockout mice some of the compound's gene responses were lost. In a 10-day injection study the authors observed no overt toxicity, with normal blood counts and electrolytes, which is a short screen rather than a toxicology programme. The authors noted that the compound had pharmacokinetic properties adequate for use as an in vivo chemical tool, which is a statement about suitability for mouse experiments and not about oral bioavailability in humans.
The 2024 follow-up in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics gave the compound to diet-induced obese mice and to genetically obese ob/ob mice. It reported increased energy expenditure and fatty-acid oxidation, reduced fat mass accumulation and improved insulin sensitivity. These are mouse models of obesity and metabolic syndrome, the treatment periods were short, and the abstract describes no oral dosing and no human data.
What is missing: no human pharmacokinetics, no human safety data, no toxicology beyond the short mouse studies, and no information on how the compound behaves when swallowed in a capsule. A 2026 paper from an anti-doping laboratory identified 22 metabolites formed in vitro by pooled human liver S9 fractions, which confirms the molecule is metabolised by human enzymes but says nothing about efficacy or safety.
What the research reports: 5-Amino-1MQ
The 2018 Biochemical Pharmacology study characterised the methylquinolinium NNMT inhibitors for membrane permeability (in artificial membrane and Caco-2 cell assays) and selectivity against related methyltransferases and NAD+ salvage enzymes. In cultured adipocytes the inhibitors reduced 1-methylnicotinamide, increased NAD+ and S-adenosylmethionine and suppressed lipogenesis. In diet-induced obese mice, 11 days of subcutaneous injections of 5-Amino-1MQ reduced body weight, white adipose mass, adipocyte size and plasma total cholesterol without changing food intake. The authors reported no observable adverse effects, which is a limited statement given an 11-day study, small groups and the endpoints measured.
The 2019 study treated 24-month-old mice with an NNMT inhibitor from the same series for one or three weeks after a chemically induced (barium chloride) injury to the tibialis anterior muscle. Muscle stem cell proliferation and fusion were higher in treated mice, myofibre cross-sectional area after injury was roughly twice that of controls, and peak torque of the injured muscle was about 70 per cent higher than in controls. This is a regeneration-after-injury model in aged mice, not a study of muscle growth in healthy animals, and it has not been repeated in humans.
What is missing: any human data at all. NNMT also has roles in the liver's handling of xenobiotics and in cancer biology; the consequences of inhibiting it in people, over any time period, are unknown. None of the mouse findings above is a claim about any product sold on this site.
Regulatory status in the UK, EU and US
Neither SLU-PP-332 nor 5-Amino-1MQ is a licensed medicine in the UK (MHRA), the EU (EMA) or the US (FDA). Neither is an authorised food supplement or novel food, and neither may lawfully be sold for human consumption. In the UK they may be sold to adults aged 18 and over for laboratory research. Listings that describe either compound as a "fat burner", "exercise pill" or "NAD booster" are making claims that no regulator has assessed and that the animal data cannot support. No regulator checks the content of a research compound before it is sold, which is why the batch certificate section below matters.
One recurring search term is "SLU PP 332 UK compounding". Compounding usually means the preparation of an unlicensed medicine by a pharmacist against a prescription for an individual patient. Neither compound has the human safety or efficacy data on which a prescriber would normally rely, and we are not aware of any lawful UK compounding route for either. A product sold under that description without a prescription is a research chemical with a different label.
WADA status
Neither compound needs to be named on the WADA Prohibited List to be prohibited. Section S0 (non-approved substances) bans, at all times, any pharmacological substance not covered by another section and not approved by any government health authority for human therapeutic use. Neither SLU-PP-332 nor 5-Amino-1MQ is approved anywhere, so both fall under S0 at minimum, whether or not they are also captured by the metabolic modulators class (S4). The 2026 doping-control paper states that WADA prohibits exercise mimetics and metabolic modulators, and its stated purpose was to find metabolites suitable for detecting SLU-PP-332. A tested athlete should assume both compounds are prohibited and detectable. No detection window has been established for either.
Common questions
Is SLU-PP-332 a peptide?
No. It is a small synthetic organic molecule that acts on nuclear receptors. The "peptide" label comes from the shops that list it alongside peptides, not from its chemistry. The same applies to 5-Amino-1MQ, which is a quinolinium salt.
What are the SLU-PP-332 side effects?
No human safety data have been published, so no side-effect profile exists. The mouse studies were short; the 2023 paper reported no overt toxicity over 10 days of injections, which is a screening observation, not a safety finding. Absence of reported adverse events in a mouse study is not evidence of safety in people.
What are the 5-Amino-1MQ side effects?
The same answer applies: nothing has been measured in humans. The 2018 mouse study reported no observable adverse effects over 11 days, with the caveat above. Because NNMT sits at the junction of NAD+ and methyl-group metabolism, the long-term consequences of blocking it are genuinely unknown.
SLU-PP-332 dosage, 5-Amino-1MQ dosage per day, protocols, before and after?
We do not publish dosing, cycle or protocol guidance for any research compound, and no results for a purchaser are claimed. Both compounds are sold for laboratory research only. The amounts in the mouse papers were given by injection to animals and have no translation to a person.
SLU-PP-332 half-life?
The 2023 paper measured compound levels in mouse plasma and muscle at two and six hours after an injection and described the pharmacokinetics as sufficient for mouse experiments. No human half-life exists, because no human study has been published.
SLU-PP-332 versus MOTS-c?
MOTS-c is a mitochondria-derived peptide studied for metabolic effects; SLU-PP-332 is a synthetic ERR agonist. They act on different targets and neither has clinical approval. A pharmacological comparison in humans does not exist.
Capsules or injectable?
The published mouse work used intraperitoneal (SLU-PP-332) or subcutaneous (5-Amino-1MQ) injection. The 2018 paper reported good permeability for 5-Amino-1MQ in Caco-2 cell assays, a laboratory predictor of gut absorption, but oral bioavailability has not been measured in humans for either compound. A capsule listing should state the micrograms or milligrams per capsule so that its batch certificate can be checked against it.
Is SLU-PP-332 legal in the UK, and can I buy 5-Amino-1MQ in the UK?
Neither is listed as a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Neither is a licensed medicine or an authorised food supplement, and neither may be sold for human consumption. Both are stocked here for laboratory research only, sold to adults aged 18 and over.
How to verify a batch
Because these are unlicensed compounds with no regulator checking content, the certificate of analysis for the specific batch is the only evidence of what is in the capsule. Check that the certificate names an independent laboratory, states the analytical method (HPLC or LC-MS), identifies the compound, reports purity or content, and carries a batch number and test date that match the product. Some SLU-PP-332 listings, including the BioLab packs we stock, state strength in micrograms, so confirm that the certificate's units match the label. The brands stocked in the SLU-PP-332 collection and the 5-Amino-1MQ collection are Muscle Market brands (BioLab and Thoroughbred Labs); for these, a certificate is shown only where the manufacturer supplies one for the batch held, and its absence is stated. The lab tests page explains the policy, and the guide to reading a certificate of analysis shows what each field means. If a certificate is not shown for the batch you are considering, contact us before ordering. Orders ship with free tracked UK delivery in plain packaging; see the shipping page for details.
Related reading
- SLU-PP-332 collection and 5-Amino-1MQ collection
- Cardarine (GW-501516) and SR9009, two other metabolic modulators with a similar research-only status
- Metabolic support collection
- How to read a certificate of analysis
- What is Janoshik Analytical?
- SARMs vs peptides: the pharmacological differences
- Price per milligram
Research use only. SLU-PP-332 and 5-Amino-1MQ are not licensed medicines and have not been evaluated by the MHRA, EMA or FDA. They are not food supplements and are not for human consumption. Sold to adults aged 18 and over for laboratory research. Nothing in this article is medical or dosing advice, and no outcome for any purchaser is claimed. The animal findings summarised here are not claims about any product.
References
- Billon C, et al. Synthetic ERRα/β/γ Agonist Induces an ERRα-Dependent Acute Aerobic Exercise Response and Enhances Exercise Capacity. ACS Chem Biol. 2023;18(4):756-771. PMID: 36988910.
- Billon C, et al. A Synthetic ERR Agonist Alleviates Metabolic Syndrome. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2024;388(2):232-240. PMID: 37739806.
- Avliyakulov NK, et al. Analysis and Identification of In Vitro Metabolites of Exercise Mimetic SLU-PP-332 ERRα/β/γ Agonist for Doping-Control Purposes. Drug Test Anal. 2026;18(3):439-450. PMID: 41688415.
- Neelakantan H, et al. Structure-Activity Relationship for Small Molecule Inhibitors of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase. J Med Chem. 2017;60(12):5015-5028. PMID: 28548833.
- Neelakantan H, et al. Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. Biochem Pharmacol. 2018;147:141-152. PMID: 29155147.
- Neelakantan H, et al. Small molecule nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibitor activates senescent muscle stem cells and improves regenerative capacity of aged skeletal muscle. Biochem Pharmacol. 2019;163:481-492. PMID: 30753815.