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Published on: February 13, 2018
Botulinum toxin A does not alter capsaicin-induced pain perception in human skin
Wilhelm J Schulte-Mattler1, Oliver Opatz, Wendelin Blersch
1Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. wilhelm.schulte-mattler@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
Abstract:
A genuine peripheral antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) has been proposed but could not be demonstrated in humans so far. Therefore, 100 mouse units of Botulinum toxin A (Dysport) and placebo were injected in a double blind paradigm in defined skin areas of 50 subjects. At baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks allodynia was induced in the skin areas with capsaicin ointment. Heat and cold pain threshold temperatures were measured with quantitative sensory testing, and threshold intensities upon electrical stimulation with a pain specific surface electrode were determined. No BoNT/A related differences in pain perception were found at any quality. There is neither a direct peripheral antinociceptive effect nor a significant effect against neurogenic inflammation of BoNT/A in humans.
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