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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Isolation and Quantification of Botulinum Neurotoxin From Complex Matrices Using the BoTest Matrix Assays
Published on: March 3, 2014
Abstract:
Botulinum toxin (BTX), derived from the exotoxin of Clostridium botulinum, cleaves Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-Attachment protein REceptor (SNARE) proteins, causing chemodenervation of cholinergic neurons. BTX also inhibits exocytosis of vesicles containing norepinephrine, glutamate, substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and inhibits expression of the vanilloid receptor. Clinical applications of BTX, which include the treatment of overactive skeletal and smooth muscles, hypersecretory and painful disorders, have increased exponentially since it was first used clinically to treat strabismus more than two decades ago. In this editorial, we discuss reports of new therapeutic indications of BTX, and propose new areas for research.
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