Botox as medicine

Botulinum toxin (produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria and causes severe food poisoning) is one of the most toxic substances on Earth. What makes botulinum toxin so special, however, is that this extremely dangerous toxin is used in small doses for medical purposes. Certain nervous disorders such as dystonia (spasms) have been treated with small amounts of botulinum toxin since the 1980s. According to some scientists, this is just the beginning. New manipulated forms of botulinum toxin could be used in the future to combat various diseases such as rheumatism, asthma and psoriasis. Botulinum toxin blocks the release of neurotransmitters (the chemical messengers that send signals back and forth between nerve cells). Topically injected doses can treat symptoms such as pain and muscle spasms. Previously, this technique was only possible for use in nerve cells. Recently, scientists have succeeded in manipulating the botulinum toxin in such a way that it also blocks inflammation-causing proteins in non-nerve cells. It is these proteins that underlie the very unpleasant symptoms of rheumatism and asthma, for example. For the millions of people who suffer from these diseases worldwide, this offers a promising future!