AICAR is the short form for 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-D-ribofuranoside. Alternative names AICA-Riboside, AICA-Ribonucleotide, Acadesine, 5- aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AICA)-riboside. What is AICAR? AICAR is an analog of AMP, that activates the AMP-Depending Protein Kinase, up to here AMPK. To understand the main role of AICAR, is necessary to see where AMPK occur and the activation and inhibition effects it provokes.