Which of the following is an example of a drug that inhibits enzymes?

Aspirin is an example of a drug that inhibits enzymes because it functions as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that irreversibly inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. These enzymes are crucial in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and thromboxanes, which play significant roles in inflammation, pain, and platelet aggregation.

By inhibiting COX, aspirin effectively reduces the production of these mediators, leading to its therapeutic effects, such as pain relief and anti-inflammatory action. This mechanism highlights how certain drugs can target and modulate specific enzyme activity to exert their pharmacological effects.

Other options, while important medications, do not primarily act as enzyme inhibitors. For instance, ibuprofen also inhibits COX enzymes but does so reversibly, acetaminophen's action on COX is less understood and is not its primary mechanism, and corticosteroids mainly exert their effects by modifying gene expression and immune response rather than directly inhibiting enzymes.