Reaction inhibitor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A reaction inhibitor is a substance that decreases the rate of, or prevents, a chemical reaction.
[edit] Inhibition of a catalyst
An inhibitor can reduce the effectiveness of a catalyst in a catalysed reaction (either a non-biological catalyst or an enzyme). E.g., if a compound, which similar to (one of) the reactants, but which cannot undergo a reaction that the catalyst can facilitate, enters the active site of a catalyst, the catalyst cannot perform its job. When the inhibitor releases, the catalyst is again available for reaction.
[edit] Inhibition and catalyst poisoning
Inhibition should be distinguished from catalyst poisoning, in the former case an inhibitor only hinders the working of a catalyst, while in the latter case the catalyst is destroyed by an irreversible reaction with a chemical substance (the active catalyst in the latter case may be regained by a separate process).
