antimetabolite
[an-tee-muh-tab-uh-lahyt, an-tahy-]
- Biochemistry. any substance that interferes with growth of an organism by competing with or substituting for an essential nutrient in an enzymatic process.
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- Pharmacology. of or relating to certain substances used to prevent or reduce the proliferation of cells, especially cancer cells, by interfering with normal metabolic activity.
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Also an·ti·met·a·bol·ic [an-tee-met-uh-bol-ik, an-tahy-] /ˌæn tiˌmɛt əˈbɒl ɪk, ˌæn taɪ-/.
Origin of antimetabolite
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
antimetabolite
- any drug that acts by disrupting the normal growth of a cell. Sulfonamide drugs are antimetabolites and some antimetabolites are used in cancer treatment
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
antimetabolite
(ăn′tē-mĭ-tăb′ə-līt′, ăn′tī-)- A substance that closely resembles an essential metabolite and competes with, interferes with, or replaces the metabolite in physiological reactions.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.