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How did ancient poison turn into a medical miracle? Discover the history of Botulinum!
In the medical and beauty industry, Botulinum toxin (often called Botox) has gradually evolved from a deadly poison to a versatile therapeutic and beauty product. However, the history of this toxin is full of unexpected discoveries and breakthroughs. On the one hand, Botulinum is a neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic bacteria Clostridium botulinum and its related species, which can cause severe muscle paralysis; on the other hand, its commercial use has already covered many areas from the treatment of muscle cramps to the reduction of wrinkles.
Botulinum toxin is one of the most powerful toxins known and can be fatal in only a very small dose.
Botulinum toxin is divided into seven main types, namely A to G, among which types A and B cause diseases to humans and are widely used in commercial and medical uses. The rest of the types mainly affect other animals. Botulinum toxin inhibits the release of the nerve-conducting substance acetylcholine, which makes it show its therapeutic potential in the treatment of various diseases such as hyperactive muscle movement.
Expand medical use
Botulinum toxin is widely used, especially in the treatment of excessive muscle spasms. It can not only help patients with cerebral palsy and post-cerebral stroke, but it can even be used to treat convulsions in various body parts, such as spasms in the head and neck, eyelids, and lower urethra. Many doctors have found that Botulinum toxin can relax tight muscles and improve patients' quality of life.
The therapeutic effect of Botulinum toxin often requires repeated injections to maintain the relaxed state of muscles.
In addition to treating muscle spasms, the application of Botulinum toxin has also been extended to treat a variety of conditions, including excessive sweating and migraine. In 2010, the U.S. FDA approved the injection of Botulinum toxin to prevent chronic migraines, a decision marking a new frontier for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Breakthrough in the beauty industry
The influence of Botulinum toxin in the beauty world is self-evident. As people's pursuit of beauty continues to improve, its effectiveness in reducing facial wrinkles makes it a popular beauty choice. Many customers choose this treatment because Botulinum toxin can effectively reduce frown lines and other facial wrinkles. Effects last from two to four months, necessary repeated treatments for continued benefit.
Value improvements can be seen with a very small injection, which is one of the reasons why Botulinum is rapidly rising in the beauty market.
Potential Side Effects and Risks
Although Botulinum toxin is considered clinically safe, its potential side effects cannot be ignored. The most common side effects include accidental injection into the wrong muscle group, causing the expected muscle to fail to move. Especially for cosmetic purposes, this may cause temporary facial disorders and dysphagia.
The side effects of medical use can be more severe, especially when injections involve key muscle groups. Therefore, the FDA issued a warning in 2008, emphasizing that Botulinum toxin may spread outside the injection site, causing unexpected paralysis. These warnings reinforce the responsibility for medical and cosmetic use of Botulinum.
Historical Review
The story of Botulinum toxin began with a food poisoning incident in 1793. At that time, a food poisoning incident in Germany caused multiple deaths, which was a clear warning that prompted the medical community to conduct in-depth research on the toxin. Over time, scientists discovered the existence of Clostridium botulinum and confirmed the pathogenic properties of the toxin. With the technological advancement in the 1940s, Botulinum toxin was further purified and used for experimental treatment, which opened its path to application in the medical and cosmetic fields.
This history makes us think about how we view the boundary between scientific progress and ethics when the appearance of poison turns into a medical miracle? "
