The weird ways that medicines are made
This week: Botox
USED to prevent migraines, treat overactive bladders and stem excessive sweating, Botox is based on one of the deadliest substances known to man. It is estimated that just one gram of botulinum toxin, which is produced by the food-poisoning bug Clostridium botulinum, could kill more than one million people.
Made from botulinum toxin in a factory in Ireland to a recipe that is a trade secret, Botox relaxes the muscles by preventing nerve cells from releasing acetylcholine, a chemical that tells muscles to contract. However, the small dose used in jabs, coupled with the fact it is injected into just one part of the body, rather than system-wide, makes it safe as a treatment, says David Kroll, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Colorado Denver in the US.
© Solo dmg media
