With a Little Tweak, Botox Becomes a Safer Medicine

(Oct. 5) -- A tweaked version of Botox, already a popular anti-wrinkle injection, could one day make major headway in treating several medical conditions, from migraine headaches to cerebral palsy.

A team of British researchers is reporting that with some alterations, the new kind of Botox can more safely operate in clinical uses beyond cosmetic procedures.

Molecules of Botox were broken down, refined separately and then reattached. The procedure was necessary to eliminate unwanted, dangerous toxic side effects that would otherwise accompany Botox-based medicines.

"This is the first time we have been able to treat protein molecules like Lego building blocks, mixing and matching them to create the basis for treatments that would not previously have been possible," Bazbek Davletov, the study's lead author, said in a statement.

Botox is the most common cosmetic procedure in the United States, with an estimated 7.6 million injections performed in 2007.

As a neurotoxin, Botox affects key nerves -- mostly those associated with muscle contractions. By blocking the signals, the toxin yields "targeted muscle paralysis," according to information published by the Mayo Clinic.

And some doctors are offering diluted versions of Botox to address several health conditions. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has approved Botox to treat excessive sweating, eyelid conditions, upper limb spasticity and severe muscle spasms in the neck.

In Britain, the substance was recently approved to treat migraine headaches, and other European countries are considering similar stances.

But the toxin can cause serious side effects if it spreads beyond the injection site, including difficulty moving, irregular heartbeat and seizures.

Given that the effects of Botox are relatively long-term -- anywhere from three to six months -- a safer version toxin would be a boon to those suffering from myriad chronic health woes.

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