Pharmacologic Substance
protease inhibitor
pro·te·ase in·hib·i·tor [ proh-tee-ays in-hih-bih-ter ]
Subclass of:
Enzyme Inhibitors
Definitions related to protease inhibitors:
-
A class of drugs that help fight retrovirus infections; commonly prescribed to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
-
A compound that interferes with the ability of certain enzymes to break down proteins. Some protease inhibitors can keep a virus from making copies of itself (for example, AIDS virus protease inhibitors), and some can prevent cancer cells from spreading.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
-
Any substance or agent which suppresses, prevents or opposes the actions or biosynthesis of proteases.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
-
Any substance that inhibits a protease, an enzyme that breaks peptide bonds. Proteases are required for many cell processes and inhibition of proteases can inhibit viral replication, inflammatory responses, proliferation, and tumor growth.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
-
Compounds which inhibit or antagonize biosynthesis or actions of proteases (ENDOPEPTIDASES).NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
-
Protease inhibitor, class of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV retrovirus infection in AIDS patients. Protease inhibitors are characterized by their ability to block activation of an HIV enzyme called protease. The protease enzyme is involved in the synthesis of new viral particles, which can...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
Return to OpenMD Medical Dictionary
> P
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.