Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0038379 (strabismus)
 9,317 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Toxins are increasingly being used as valuable tools for analysis of cellular physiology, and some are used medicinally for treatment of human diseases. In particular, botulinum toxin, the most poisonous biological substance known, is used for treatment of a myriad of human neuromuscular disorders characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. Since approval of type-A botulinum toxin by the US Food and Drug Administration in December 1989 for three disorders (strabismus, blepharospasm, and hemifacial spasm), the number of indications being treated has increased greatly to include numerous focal dystonias, spasticity, tremors, cosmetic applications, migraine and tension headaches, and other maladies. Many of these diseases were previously refractory to pharmacological and surgical treatments. The remarkable therapeutic utility of botulinum toxin lies in its ability to specifically and potently inhibit involuntary muscle activity for an extended duration. The clostridia produce more protein toxins than any other bacterial genus and are a rich reservoir of toxins for research and medicinal uses. Research is underway to use clostridial toxins or toxin domains for drug delivery, prevention of food poisoning, and the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The remarkable success of botulinum toxin as a therapeutic agent has created a new field of investigation in microbiology.
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PMID:Clostridial toxins as therapeutic agents: benefits of nature's most toxic proteins. 1054 1

Botulinum toxin is more and more frequently used as a therapeutic agent. The toxin blocks selectively and reversibly the neuromuscular junction, causing a muscle relaxation. Indications are mainly muscular hypercontraction, such as dystonia, blepharospasm, focal spasticity, strabismus or tics. The range of action extend to focal hyperhydrosis, palmar, axillary or plantar. It seems now that some painful syndrome such as migraine or tension headache may benefit from toxin injections. Esthetic indications constitute an extension to the pure medical indications.
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PMID:[Current indications for the treatment with botulin toxin]. 1172 14

Botulinum toxin is one of the most toxic natural substances; it acts by blocking the neuromuscular transmission by inhibiting Acetylcholine (Ach) releasing from the motor nerve into the neuromuscular junction. Although the toxin inhibits ACh release, other transmitters can also be inhibited. Botulinum toxin, specifically toxin type A (BONT-A) has been used since the 1970s to treat many different disorders, such as general spasticity resulting from stroke, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy, strabismus, hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating, pain, and it is effective in combating migraine and tension headaches. Since prostate gland is under the influence of autonomic innervation and associated neurotransmitters, the effects of BONT-A on the prostate have gained attention in the urological community and it has been studied in different species, including rats, dogs and humans. The aim of this paper is to review the mechanism of action of botulinum toxin and to discuss in particular the results of BONT-A treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), providing perspectives on potential therapy according to actual knowledge.
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PMID:Botulinum toxin A in prostate disease: a venom from bench to bed-side. 2240 79

We describe two cases with complaints of atypical headache who were initially diagnosed as having psychiatric problems, but who, after careful evaluation, were found to have an underlying eye disorder. Both patients were known to have an ophthalmic history. Patient A, a 21-year-old female, presented with severe headache, which was so disabling that she was declared unfit for work. A diagnosis of tension headache was made and she received psychological treatment with neurofeedback, homeopathy and acupuncture, which had no effect. Patient B, a 26-year-old male, complained of extreme photophobia, nausea and dizziness. The patient was diagnosed as having a conversion disorder and was admitted to a psychiatric clinic and given psychotropic treatment. Careful ophthalmological examination revealed that an ocular deviation was causing the symptoms in both patients and could be treated appropriately with strabismus surgery. These cases emphasise the importance of a thorough general medical and ophthalmic history and proper examination at all times without putting a psychiatric stigma on the patient.
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PMID:[Ocular deviation as the cause of "psychiatric" problems]. 2653 Jan 17