BOTOX®
BOTOX® is a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent that
works at motor nerve endings (nerves that lead to muscles).
It is in a class of drugs called neurotoxins.
When considering neurotoxin therapy, it is important to understand
how the product works, the history of its use in patients, its
protein content, and possible side effects.
BOTOX® is a novel therapeutic agent derived from the bacterium,
Clostridium Botulinum. Also known as Botulinum Toxin Type A,
the brand BOTOX® is produced in controlled laboratory conditions
and given in extremely small therapeutic doses.
BOTOX® is indicated for the treatment of blepharospasm associated
with dystonia in patients 12 years of age and above. BOTOX®
is being investigated for several conditions associated with
overactive muscle activity.
Botulinum Toxin Type A is the most studied of the seven different
serotypes of botulinum toxin (A, B, C1, D, E, F, G). Each serotype
has different properties and actions. No two are exactly alike.
Normally your brain sends electrical messages to your muscles
so that they can contract and move. The electrical message is
transmitted to the muscle by a substance called acetylcholine.
BOTOX® works to block the release of acetylcholine and,
as a result, the muscle doesn’t receive the message to
contract. This means that the muscle spasms stop or are greatly
reduced after using BOTOX®, providing predictable and reliable
relief from symptoms.
BOTOX® is not a cure. For many patients, however, its effects
have been dramatic– symptoms usually begin to dissipate
within a few days and the effects can last for approximately
three months. |
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