Most people know Botox as a form of treatment to help you retain your youthful glow. Many celebrities and everyday people receive Botox treatments to eliminate crow’s feet and smooth out frown lines and wrinkles.
However, it’s so much more than a cosmetic procedure. Botox is an FDA-approved treatment option for a variety of conditions, such as chronic migraines, overactive bladder, neck spasms, and excessive sweating. What you may not know is that it consists of a toxin that causes botulism.
It’s hard to believe that a toxin that claims the lives of 50 to 100 people each year is a highly effective form of healthcare that many people rely on, but that’s the reality. Keep reading to learn about botulinum toxin’s role in today’s healthcare.
What Is Botulinum Toxin?
Botulinum toxin or neurotoxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by Clostridium botulinum and related bacteria. The toxin causes the disease botulism and also results in flaccid paralysis, which is a neurological condition characterised by reduced muscle tone, weakness, and paralysis. It’s also now used commercially for cosmetic and medical purposes. Several main types of botulinum toxin exist and are still being discovered today, including: A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F and G.
Both types A and B are used commercially and can also cause botulism. Types C through G aren’t very common; types E and F cause human disease, and the remaining ones cause diseases in animals.
Does Botox Cause Botulism?
When you learn that the same toxin in botulism is also one used in Botox, it’s only natural to fear catching botulism from receiving Botox treatment. However, Botox doesn’t cause botulism. The doses are small, highly diluted, sterilised, and purified in a lab to meet strict medical standards. Botulism is caused by large and live doses of the toxin, whereas Botox isn’t harmful when used by a competent medical professional.
The Discovery of Botulinum Toxin
One of the earliest recorded cases of botulism happened in 1793 in a small village in Germany, Wildbad, Baden-Württemberg. After eating a pork stomach filled with blood sausage, 13 people became unwell and six died. By 1802, further fatal food poisoning cases in the village prompted local authorities to tell people not to eat smoked blood sausages.
Between the years 1817 and 1822, German physician Justinus Kerner published the first description of botulism symptoms based on his observations and animal experiments. He concluded that the toxin is a biological substance that acts on the nervous system, is lethal in small amounts, and develops on sausages in anaerobic conditions.
He also stated that the ‘sausage toxin’ could be used to treat diseases caused by having an overactive nervous system. The name ‘botulism’ was given to the disease by another German physician in 1870 because the Latin word ‘botulus’ means sausage.
Outbreak Leads to More Information
While early outbreaks were pivotal in identifying the toxin, further outbreaks helped medical professionals learn even more. In 1895, Belgian microbiologist and bacteriologist Émile van Ermengem discovered the Clostridium botulinum toxin, which is produced by the same bacteria that cause botulism.
After a large botulism outbreak involving people who ate smoked and pickled ham at a funeral, van Ermengem examined the ham and performed autopsies on the three people who died. He discovered an anaerobic microorganism named Bacillus botulinus. Eventually, van Ermengem concluded that it’s not the bacteria that cause botulism, but the toxins produced by them once ingested.
Research from both Justinus Kerner and Émile van Ermengem led medical experts to determine that botulism could only be caused by contaminated meat or fish. However, another outbreak deemed that belief to be inaccurate.
In 1904, another botulism outbreak in Darmstadt, Germany, was found to be linked to canned white beans. We now know that foodborne botulism is caused by ingesting the toxin from home-canned low-acid foods and improperly preserved meat and fish.
FDA Approval
It’s strange to think that something that was once just a toxin in a sausage is now an FDA-approved medical treatment. Botox treatment, which uses botulinum toxin type A, was approved for treating eye muscle disorders at the end of 1989. In 2000, it was approved for cervical dystonia and, two years later, for the cosmetic treatment of frown lines.
Two years after that, Botox was approved for primary axillary hyperhidrosis, which is severe underarm sweating. More recently, it has been used to treat chronic migraines after receiving FDA approval in 2010.
Botulinum toxin is not something to fear in a controlled medical setting. It has come a long way from its origins as an unknown cause of foodborne illnesses and fatalities in a small German village.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article, “Botulinum Toxin’s Role in Today’s Healthcare”, is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should not rely on this material as a substitute for professional medical consultation. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, treatment, or procedure.
Botulinum toxin (including its commercial forms such as Botox) is a prescription-only medication that should only be administered by licensed and appropriately trained medical professionals. Incorrect use or administration can result in serious side effects or health complications.
Open MedScience and its contributors make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the accuracy, reliability, or suitability of the information contained within this publication. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.
The mention of specific products, brands, or treatments does not imply endorsement or recommendation by Open MedScience. Regulatory approvals, medical standards, and usage guidelines may vary by country and over time. Readers are encouraged to consult up-to-date official health sources, such as the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or their local health authority, before considering any medical treatment involving botulinum toxin.
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