Batrachotoxin (BTX), from South American frogs of the genus Phyllobates, irreversibly activates voltage-gated sodium channels. Previous work demonstrated that a phenylalanine residue approximately halfway through pore-lining transmembrane segment IVS6 is a critical determinant of channel sensitivity to BTX. In this study, we introduced a series of mutations at this site in the Na(v)1.3 sodium c...

Migraine. Since the 2002 TEC Assessment, 1 new study meeting selection criteria has appeared. Published in 2004 (n=60), this trial randomized patients to saline placebo, low-dose BTX-A, or high-dose BTX-A. No significant differences were reported at 3 months for any of 7 pain-related outcomes. The low dose of BTX-A had a lower rate of accompanying symptoms (photophobia, phonophobia, nausea and ...

OBJECTIVE To study fast voluntary neck movements in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) before and after therapy with botulinum toxin type-A (BTX-A). METHODS A selected sample of 15 patients with CD (with prevalent torticollis) and 13 age-matched control subjects performed both right and left rotational, and flexion and extension neck movements as fast as possible. Movements were recorded wi...

Botulism caused by food poisoning was characterized by mydriasis and skeletal muscle paralysis, which was first described by Justinus Kerner in 1820 [1]. The cause of botulism was botulinum neurotoxin produced by anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria of the genus Clostridium [2]. Botulinum toxin (BTX) became to be the first medically applied toxin. The first clinical use of BTX was reported concern...

BACKGROUND Painful foot blistering is a common problem in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) and pachyonychia congenita (PC). Hyperhidrosis, a condition which can be effectively blocked by plantar injections of botulinum toxin (Btx), often exacerbates the blistering. OBJECTIVES A retrospective evaluation of the effects of Btx injections in 14 patients with EBS and PC with foot ...

We examined changes in weight-bearing ability in mice after injection with botulinum toxin type A (BTX) to determine whether BTX can be used to isolate the effects of muscle on bone. As ambulation patterns were previously shown to improve within two weeks post-injection, we hypothesized that BTX injection to the posterior hindlimb would not significantly affect the mouse's ability to bear weigh...

OBJECTIVE The noradrenaline system is involved in the reward effects of various kinds of abused drugs. Betaxolol (BTX) is a highly selective β1-antagonist. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of BTX on methamphetamine (MAP)-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and hyperactivity in mice. METHODS The mice (n=72) were treated with MAP or saline every other day for a total of 6 da...

[Purpose] Lower-limb spasticity after stroke may be associated with worse functional outcome. Our study aim was to establish whether a low-dose botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection in subacute stroke patients can improve spasticity, gait, and daily living abilities. [Subjects] Twenty-three subacute stroke patients were randomly allocated to BTX-A treatment group (11 patients) and control group (...

In rehabilitation medicine, botulinum toxin (BTX) as adjunct to other interventions for spasticity can result in a useful and effective therapeutic tool treating disabled stroke patients with spasticity. Other than spasticity, non-reflex motor disorders (muscle stiffness, shortness and contracture) can complicate clinical course and hamper rehabilitative process of stroke patients. After treati...