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2D Structure
Also known as: 57-00-1, N-amidinosarcosine, Creatin, Kreatin, Krebiozon, N-methyl-n-guanylglycine
Molecular Formula
C4H9N3O2
Molecular Weight
131.13  g/mol
InChI Key
CVSVTCORWBXHQV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
FDA UNII
MU72812GK0

An amino acid that occurs in vertebrate tissues and in urine. In muscle tissue, creatine generally occurs as phosphocreatine. Creatine is excreted as CREATININE in the urine.
1 2D Structure

2D Structure

2 Identification
2.1 Computed Descriptors
2.1.1 IUPAC Name
2-[carbamimidoyl(methyl)amino]acetic acid
2.1.2 InChI
InChI=1S/C4H9N3O2/c1-7(4(5)6)2-3(8)9/h2H2,1H3,(H3,5,6)(H,8,9)
2.1.3 InChI Key
CVSVTCORWBXHQV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
2.1.4 Canonical SMILES
CN(CC(=O)O)C(=N)N
2.2 Other Identifiers
2.2.1 UNII
MU72812GK0
2.3 Synonyms
2.3.1 Depositor-Supplied Synonyms

1. 57-00-1

2. N-amidinosarcosine

3. Creatin

4. Kreatin

5. Krebiozon

6. N-methyl-n-guanylglycine

7. 2-(1-methylguanidino)acetic Acid

8. Methylglycocyamine

9. Glycine, N-(aminoiminomethyl)-n-methyl-

10. (alpha-methylguanido)acetic Acid

11. Creatine, Hydrate

12. Pyrolysate

13. N-carbamimidoyl-n-methylglycine

14. Methylguanidoacetic Acid

15. Cosmocair C 100

16. 2-(1-methylcarbamimidamido)acetic Acid

17. Creatine, Anhydrous

18. Kreatinum

19. Neotine

20. Alpha-methylguanidino Acetic Acid

21. 2-[carbamimidoyl(methyl)amino]acetic Acid

22. N-(aminoiminomethyl)-n-methylglycine

23. (.alpha.-methylguanido)acetic Acid

24. Nsc 8752

25. Nsc-8752

26. N-[(e)-amino(imino)methyl]-n-methylglycine

27. Ai3-15320

28. Chebi:16919

29. ((amino(imino)methyl)(methyl)amino)acetic Acid

30. Nsc8752

31. Mu72812gk0

32. (n-methylcarbamimidamido)acetic Acid

33. N-(aminoiminomethyl)-n-methyl-glycine

34. Creatine (8ci)

35. ((amino(imino)methyl)(methyl)amino)acetate

36. [[amino(imino)methyl](methyl)amino]acetate

37. [[amino(imino)methyl](methyl)amino]acetic Acid

38. Unii-mu72812gk0

39. A-meethyl Guanidine Acetic Acid

40. Hsdb 7336

41. Methylguanidoacetate

42. Iom

43. Einecs 200-306-6

44. Mfcd00004282

45. Creatine [hsdb]

46. Creatine [inci]

47. Creatine [ii]

48. Creatine [mi]

49. Creatine [vandf]

50. Bmse000078

51. Bmse000950

52. Bmse000999

53. Creatine [usp-rs]

54. Creatine [who-dd]

55. Ec 200-306-6

56. (alpha-methylguanido)acetate

57. (a-methylguanido)acetic Acid

58. Schembl21567

59. Creatine, Hydrate (salt/mix)

60. Chembl283800

61. Gtpl4496

62. Dtxsid1040451

63. Str05570

64. Zinc3861770

65. Bbl012187

66. Bdbm50357229

67. S5588

68. Stl163516

69. Akos005717096

70. 2-(n-methylcarbamimidamido)acetic Acid

71. Ccg-266112

72. Cs-w011104

73. Db00148

74. Hy-w010388

75. N-[amino(imino)methyl]-n-methylglycine

76. Creatine, Anhydrous, >=99.0% (nt)

77. 2-(carbamimidoyl-methyl-amino)acetic Acid

78. Ac-34370

79. C3610

80. Ft-0624083

81. (n-(amidino)-n-methylamino)acetic Acid

82. C00300

83. D89574

84. [[amino(imino)methyl](methyl)amino]acetic Acid #

85. Q223600

86. W-105270

87. F8880-7830

88. 1093737-19-9

2.4 Create Date
2004-09-16
3 Chemical and Physical Properties
Molecular Weight 131.13 g/mol
Molecular Formula C4H9N3O2
XLogP3-1.2
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count3
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count3
Rotatable Bond Count3
Exact Mass131.069476538 g/mol
Monoisotopic Mass131.069476538 g/mol
Topological Polar Surface Area90.4 Ų
Heavy Atom Count9
Formal Charge0
Complexity134
Isotope Atom Count0
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count0
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count0
Covalently Bonded Unit Count1
4 Drug and Medication Information
4.1 Therapeutic Uses

Creatine, as well as a creatine analogue called cyclocreatine, inhibit growth of a broad range of solid tumors in rat models of cancer; these tumors express high levels of CK. Although the mechanism for tumor inhibition is unknown...

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


4.2 Drug Warning

Phosphocreatine inhibits enzymes in the glycolitic pathway, including glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


Safety data are lacking and are urgently needed, especially for long-term use of creatine and for use among the pediatric population (including adolescence) and among those in poor health. There are some reports that long-term use of creatine may be nephrotoxic. This needs further investigation before long-term creatine supplementation can be recommended under any circumstance.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.116 (2001)


Creatine is contraindicated in those with renal failure and renal disorders such as nephritic syndrome.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.116 (2001)


Anecdotal reports of adverse events to FDA have included rash, dyspnea, vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, anxiety, migraine, fatigue, polymyositis, myopathy,seizures and atrial fibrillation.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.117 (2001)


There are reports of elevated serum creatinine, a metabolite of creatine and a marker of kidney function, in some who take creatine and have normal renal function. This /effect on renal function tests/ is reversible upon discontinuation of creatine.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


4.3 Drug Indication

For nutritional supplementation, also for treating dietary shortage or imbalance.


5 Pharmacology and Biochemistry
5.1 Pharmacology

Creatine is a essential, non-proteinaceous amino acid derivative found in all animals. It is synthesized in the kidney, liver, and pancreas from L-arginine, glycine and L-methionine. Following its biosynthesis, creatine is transported to the skeletal muscle, heart, brain and other tissues. Most of the creatine is metabolized in these tissues to phosphocreatine (creatine phosphate). Phosphocreatine is a major energy storage form in the body. Supplemental creatine may have an energy-generating action during anaerobic exercise and may also have neuroprotective and cardioprotective actions.


5.2 Absorption, Distribution and Excretion

In muscle and nerve, most of the creatine is phosphorylated to phosphocreatine (pCr) in a reaction that is catalyzed by the enezyme creatine kinase (CK), there are three isoforms of (isoenzymes) of CK. CK-MM is the skeletal muscle isoform; CK-BB, the brain isoform, and CK-MB, the isoform found in cardiac muscle. Most of the PCr in the body is in skeletal muscle.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


Creatine is absorbed from the small intestines and enters the portal circulation and is transported to the liver. The ingested creatine, and the creatine made in the liver, is then transported into the systemic circulation and distributed into various tissues of the body, including muscle and nerves, by crossing the cell membrane via a specific creatine-transported system against a 200:1 gradient.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


5.3 Metabolism/Metabolites

Within muscle and nerve cells, about 60 to 67% of the creatine entering the cells gets converted to phosphocreatine via the enzyme creatine kinase. About 2% of creatine is converted to creatinine, and both creatine and creatinine are excreted by the kidneys.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


5.4 Biological Half-Life

3 hours


5.5 Mechanism of Action

In the muscles, a fraction of the total creatine binds to phosphate - forming creatine phosphate. The reaction is catalysed by creatine kinase, and the result is phosphocreatine (PCr). Phosphocreatine binds with adenosine diphosphate to convert it back to ATP (adenosine triphosphate), an important cellular energy source for short term ATP needs prior to oxidative phosphorylation.


Supplemental creatine may have an energy-generating action during anaerobic exercise and may also have neuroprotective and cardioprotective actions.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)


Creatine, creatine kinase and phosphocreatine make up an intricate cellular enegy buffering and transport system connecting sites of energy production in the mitochondria with sites of energy consumption. CK is a key enzyme in involved in cellular energy homeostasis. It reversibly catalyzes the transfer of the high-energy phosphate bond in PCr to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and it catalyzes the transfer of the high-energy phosphate bond in ATP to creatine to form PCr. During periods of intense exercise and skeletal muscle contraction, bioenergetic metabolism switches from one in which oxidative phosphorylation is the major pathway of ATP production to one in which so-called anaerobic glycolysis becomes dominant.

Medical Economics Co; Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements 1st ed p.115 (2001)