A substance that diminishes the rate of a chemical reaction; the process is called
inhibition. Inhibitors are sometimes called negative catalysts, but since the action of an inhibitor
is fundamentally different from that of a
catalyst, this terminology is discouraged. In contrast to a
catalyst, an inhibitor may be consumed during the course of a reaction. In enzyme-catalysed
reactions an inhibitor frequently acts by binding to the enzyme, in which case it
may be called an enzyme inhibitor.
Source:
PAC, 1993, 65, 2291
(Nomenclature of kinetic methods of analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 1993))
on page 2295
See also:
PAC, 1991, 63, 1227
(Manual on catalyst characterization (Recommendations 1991))
on page 1244
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
)
