Mr Gaitano during the discussion of Clostridium botolinum, a gm+ bacilli has asked about the use of this toxin medically.
The popular use of BOTOX treatment must be the subject Gaitano was asking about. Botox is afterall botulinum toxin and is used for its capacity to block acetylcholine release at motor-end-plate. If we could recall, the acetylcholine vesicles in the nerve terminal need to bind with the presynatic membrane so that it can be released by exocytosis. This is the precise process that is being block by the toxin. The inhibition of acetylcholine release then results in loss of impulse conduction to the sarcolemma and thus lost of muscular contractility or tone. This is seen as flaccid paralysis in the affected musculature.
Thus it is this action that the toxin is used for treatment of spastic muscular conditions.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/325451-overview
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