Abstract
The inhibitory effect of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate on hog pepsin activity was investigated over the pH 1.5–3.0 range. The inhibitory effect was studied using a natural substrate, hemoglobin, and a synthetic substrate, N‐acetyl‐L‐phenylalanyl‐L‐diiodotyrosine. The mechanistic studies revealed that a substrate‐inhibitor interaction was the major mechanism of inhibition with hemoglobin. However, some direct enzyme inhibition also was involved. With the synthetic substrate, the inhibition was due to a competition between the substrate and the inhibitor molecules for the enzyme. The possible therapeutic significance of the inhibitory effect of the medicinal surfactant is discussed.