Posted by Larry Hoover on September 2, 2008, at 17:04:14
In reply to Inhibitor vs Antagonist - definition?, posted by ricker on September 2, 2008, at 12:48:00
> I'm trying to understand the terminology? I'll give my definition in very simple terms and see how far off I am?
>
> Inhibitor - prevents the cell from releasing chemical, therefore there is an increase in volume/production.The concept of inhibition is applied to enzyme activity. An enzyme facilitates some specific chemical reaction. An inhibitor slows or completely blocks that enzyme's processing capacity. Therefore there is an increase in reactant (the before-enzyme chemical structure), and a decrease in product (the results of the enzyme's actions) concentration. An example is the drug class MAOI, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which block the deactivation of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (as well as other similar structures such as tyramine), keeping their concentrations higher than would otherwise be the case.
> Antagonist - increases the rate at which the chemical "circulates", but does not cause an increase in volume?
The concept of antagonism is generally applied to receptors and their normal stimulator chemicals (collectively, the receptor agonists). An antagonist is any substance that blocks the agonist from "turning on" the target receptor. The classic example is a chemical that fits into the receptor, blocking it, but which does nothing to stimulate the receptor. The agonist is still present, but it is prevented from doing anything.
> You can plainly see I don't have sound knowledge as to medicinal propertries :-).
>
> If someone would clarify, in "real simple" terms, the definitions. That is, unless I'm right! LOL.
>
> Thanks, RickIf there's anything I said that needs clarification, I'll do my best to make sense of it for you.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:849895
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080822/msgs/849936.html