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Enzyme Inhibition

Meaning

A fundamental biochemical process where a molecule, known as an inhibitor, binds to an enzyme and decreases its catalytic activity, thus slowing or stopping the specific metabolic pathway the enzyme controls. In clinical endocrinology, this mechanism is often therapeutically targeted, for example, by using inhibitors to block the synthesis of specific hormones or their downstream effects. Understanding the type of inhibition—competitive, non-competitive, or uncompetitive—is crucial for predicting pharmacological outcomes and managing drug dosing for optimal patient response.