antimetabolite

[ an-tee-muh-tab-uh-lahyt, an-tahy- ]

noun

1. Biochemistry. any substance that interferes with growth of an organism by competing with or substituting for an essential nutrient in an enzymatic process.

adjective

1. 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.

antimetabolite

/ ˌæntɪmɪˈtæbəˌlaɪt /

noun

1. any drug that acts by disrupting the normal growth of a cell. Sulfonamide drugs are antimetabolites and some antimetabolites are used in cancer treatment

Word History and Origins

Origin of antimetabolite¹

First recorded in 1940–45; anti- + metabolite

Example Sentences

Targeting one carbon metabolism with an antimetabolite disrupts pyrimidine homeostasis and induces nucleotide overflow.

From Nature

Fluorouracil is a type of drug known as an antimetabolite, which works by killing fast-growing cancer cells.

From Time

Canavanine, it turns out, is an antimetabolite stored in the seeds of many leguminous species to ward off predators, and its toxicity in animals is well documented in scientific literature.

From The New Yorker