What is the difference between Irreversible Enzyme Inhibitors and Reversible Enzyme Inhibitors?

Irreversible Enzyme Inhibitors and Reversible Enzyme Inhibitors are two types of enzymes inhibitors. They work by attaching themselves to enzymes in order to reduce their catalytic functions. However, there are some differences between the two. Irreversible enzyme inhibitors are small molecules that hold tightly to enzymes to reduce their catalytic activities, and they don't dissociate very easily. Most antibiotic drugs like aspirin, penicillin are irreversible enzyme inhibitors.

The effects of these inhibitors are not reversible. Reversible enzyme inhibitors, on the other hand, are small molecules that form a non-covalent bond with enzymes, and they dissociate very easily from the enzymes, and the effects of these inhibitors are reversible. While irreversible enzyme inhibitors are classified into three stages i.e., substrate analogs, suicide inhibitors, and group-specific reagents, reversible enzyme inhibitors can be grouped into two, i.e., competitive and non-competitive inhibitors.