What are 2 examples of enzyme inhibition?


Many medicines can stop certain enzymes in our bodies or in harmful germs like viruses, bacteria, or parasites. For instance, methotrexate is used to treat cancer and arthritis, and there are drugs called protease inhibitors for HIV/AIDS. These drugs usually focus on one enzyme, making them very precise and causing fewer side effects in people, as long as humans don’t have a similar enzyme. Often, humans and these harmful germs are genetically different, so it’s rare to find a matching enzyme. These enzyme-blocking drugs need only a tiny amount to work because they have strong binding abilities. Using a small dose of these drugs can lower the chances of harming our liver, kidneys, or other parts of our body. That’s why scientists are always studying and improving these enzyme-blocking drugs in the fields of biochemistry and pharmacology.

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