What is the effect of Cyanide on enzymes? is it harmful?

Question

anonymous · Answer

cy·a·nide [s ə nd]
noun (plural cy·a·nides) 
1.  compound containing carbon and nitrogen: a compound containing carbon and nitrogen as a CN group or CN- ion 
2.  chemistry Same as potassium cyanide 
3.  chemistry Same as sodium cyanide 


transitive verb (past and past participle cy·a·nid·ed, present participle cy·a·nid·ing, 3rd person present singular cy·a·nides) 
1.  metallurgy harden metal with cyanide: to treat something such as a metal surface with cyanide in order to increase its hardness 
2.  mineral extract treat ore with sodium cyanide: to treat ore with a weak solution of sodium cyanide in order to remove gold or silver

anonymous · Answer

en·zyme [én zm]
(plural en·zymes) 
noun 
 protein controlling biochemical reactions: any complex chemical produced by living cells that is a biochemical catalyst............................................

anonymous · Answer

NOt to all enzymes. Cyanide has a high affinity for certain sulfur compounds. and for certain metallic complexes, particularly those containing cobalt and the trivalent form of iron (Fe3+).The 'cyanide ion' can rapidly combine with iron in cytochrome a3 (a component of the cytochrome aa3 or cytochrome oxidase complex in mitochrondria) to inhibit this enzyme, thus preventing intracellular oxygen utilization. The cell then utilizes anaerobic metabolism, creating excess lactic acid and a metabolic acidosis. Cyanide also has a high affinity for the ferric iron of methemoglobin and one therapeutic strategem induces the formation of methemoglobin to which cyanide preferentially binds.