Enzyme inhibitors can affect the rate of enzyme reaction by slowing down or completely stopping the enzyme's ability to catalyze a reaction. They do this by binding to the active site of the enzyme, blocking substrates from binding and preventing the reaction from occurring. This reduces the number of effective enzyme-substrate complexes, thus decreasing the rate of reaction. Depending on the type of inhibitor, the effect may be reversible or irreversible. Competitive inhibitors compete with the substrate for binding to the active site, while non-competitive inhibitors bind to a different part of the enzyme and change its shape, making it less effective in catalyzing the reaction.
