Botox spinal jabs could be an effective pain killer

Botox spinal jabs could be an effective pain killer

Mumbai Mirror Bureau mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com


Botulinum neurotoxin type A – better known as Botox – reduces responses to an inflammationrelated pain when injected into the spinal canal in mice, reports a study in the January issue of Anesthesia and Analgesia.
"Botox may be a useful analgesic in inflammatory pain," according to the new research, led by Won-Ho Lee, of Seoul National University.
The researchers used a standard experimental model of pain in mice to examine the effects of spinal botox injection.
In this model, a chemical called formalin is injected into the paw, producing a predictable two-phase inflammatory pain response.
Pain behaviours were monitored for up to four weeks in mice that did and did not receive spinal Botulinum neurotoxin.
Even a single spinal injection of Botulinum neurotoxin produced a pain-reducing effect: mice receiving the injection exhibited significantly fewer pain behaviours, particularly during the second phase of the pain response.
These effects were not accompanied by any movement abnormalities, suggesting that Botulinum neurotoxininjection did not adversely affect spinal cord function.
The pain-reducing effect of a single injection of Botulinum neurotoxin peaked at 10 days, then decreased up to 14 days.
Mice treated with Botulinum neurotoxin also had significant reductions in certain neurotransmitters involved in various types of pain conditions.
“This study draws attention to the many unexplored therapeutic avenues to help us control chronic pain,” says Steven Shafer, Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
“Only by finding new approaches to attenuating pain transmission can we create therapeutic options to free future generations from the scourge of chronic pain.”