Botulinum toxin for treating postherpetic neuralgia

Abstract

Methods for treating conditions in an animal or human subject. The conditions may be pain, skeletal muscle conditions, smooth muscle conditions, glandular conditions and cosmetic conditions. The methods comprise the step of administering a Clostridium neurotoxin component or Clostridium neurotoxin component encoding DNA to the subject using a needleless syringe.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09 / 730,237 filed Dec. 5, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated, in its entirety, herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Botulinum Toxin {tc “Botulinum Toxin” \l 5}[0003]The anaerobic, Gram positive bacterium Clostridium botulinum toxin, which causes a neuroparalytic illness in humans and animals referred to as botulism. The spores of Clostridium botulinum are found in soil and can grow in improperly sterilized and sealed food containers of home based canneries, which are the cause of many of the cases of botulism. The effects of botulism typically appear 18 to 36 hours after eating the foodstuffs infected with a Clostridium botulinum culture or spores. The botulinum toxin can apparently pass unattenuated through the lining of the gut and attack peripheral motor neurons. Symptoms of botulinum toxin intoxication can progress from difficulty walking, swallowing, and sp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides new and improved methods for injecting botulinum toxin into an animal or human subject. These methods include using a needless syringe to administer the toxin, as well as methods for injecting a DNA sequence encoding the toxin into a cell of an animal in situ. The toxin can be used for a variety of purposes such as treating pain, muscle spasms, and cosmetic purposes. The toxin can be administered to the skin, muscle, or nerves. The methods may involve using a targeting component to specifically target certain cells or a therapeutic component to interfere with exocytosis or transfer the toxin into the cytoplasm of a target cell. The DNA sequence can also contain a translocation component to facilitate the transfer of the toxin into the cell. Overall, the invention provides more effective and precise methods for using botulinum toxin for therapeutic purposes.

Problems solved by technology

The spores of Clostridium botulinum are found in soil and can grow in improperly sterilized and sealed food containers of home based canneries, which are the cause of many of the cases of botulism.

Symptoms of botulinum toxin intoxication can progress from difficulty walking, swallowing, and speaking to paralysis of the respiratory muscles and death.

Additionally, it is possible that the larger (greater than about 150 kD molecular weight) botulinum toxin complexes may result in a slower rate of diffusion of the botulinum toxin away from a site of intramuscular injection of a botulinum toxin complex.

Water consumption was greater in mice injected with BoNt / B than with BOTOX®, although BoNt / B was less effective at weakening muscles.

The tetanus neurotoxin acts mainly in the central nervous system, while botulinum neurotoxin acts at the neuromuscular junction; both act by inhibiting acetylcholine release from the axon of the affected neuron into the synapse, resulting in paralysis.