Botox

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[[File:Botulinum toxin 3BTA.png|thumb|right|200px|Botulinum toxin A]]
[[File:Doctor performing Botox injection.jpg|thumb|Injection for cosmetic purposes of a deadly neurotoxin, Botulinum toxin, produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and related species, and it is considered the deadliest known natural substance ever recorded in the chemical literature, Botox]]
'''Botox''' is the brand name of a medicine containing '''Bo'''tulinum '''Tox'''in.  It has a few niche uses in medicine, but it is most widely known for its cosmetic uses and spoiling canned food.

==Botulinum toxin==
The [[bacterium]] ''Clostridium botulinum'' survives by breaking down and consuming dead flesh, such as deli meats. The name itself derives from the [[Latin]] ''botulus'', meaning "sausage". One of the metabolites of ''C. botulinum'' is a particularly powerful neurotoxin, botulinum [[toxin]], and even a miniscule amount will inhibit the release of acetylcho-somethingorother, effectively preventing your muscles from moving.  The paralysis is bad enough, but remember, this includes both your heart and diaphragm, and the victim suffocates.  Just how tiny an amount is necessary to kill a human? About 70 nanograms for a typical human. For reference, that is well over a million times deadlier than cyanide.  And the toxin is [[Appeal to nature|100% naturally occurring]], and [[Organic|organic to boot]].

This is why all deli meats contain [[Nitrites|preservatives]].  Even the organic stuff will include nitrates in the form of "celery juice extract".

==Medical use==
There are a few times when a muscle needs to be paralyzed for an extended period of time. In this case, an incredibly minuscule amount of Botox is injected into the muscle, holding it still. It is one of the available options for dystonia treatment, although it only has a temporary effect and some people develop resistance to it. As there are two types of Botox, someone who is immune to one type will frequently respond to the other.

One of the side effects of its therapeutic effect is that in the case of facial muscles, the lack of an ability to move means that wrinkles are slower to form. So of course it has found use by people looking to reduce the appearance of aging; in 2012, over 6 million Botox injections were performed in the [[US]], making it by far the most common cosmetic procedure.<ref>http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/2013/14-million-cosmetic-plastic-surgery-procedures-performed-in-2012.html</ref> Business can be good selling botox injections, while self-esteems remain damaged.

==Oh the irony==
So why does Botox deserve our attention? Well, a number of infamous [[Celebrity|celebrities]] such as [[Jenny McCarthy]] regularly complain about alleged toxins in vaccines while at the same time using Botox regularly.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2135749/Jenny-McCarthy-reveals-forehead-Botox-shots-secret-youthful-looks.html</ref>

==Bioterrorism==
Botulinum toxin is an occasional source of speculation due to its potency and relative availability: ''C. botulinum'' is by no means a hard creature to come across; it is found worldwide and, in fact, its spores are probably in the dirt under your feet.<ref>https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/foodborne-illness-and-disease/clostridium-botulinum/ct_index</ref> It's mostly a problem when bacteria grow out of the spores and produce the neurotoxin.

==See also==
*[[Naturopathy]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Disease]]
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Toxins]]
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Categories: Disease, Medicine, Toxins