Abstract
Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) affects the discharge of acetylcholine in a nerve junction, weakens the contractile force of muscles and controls a spasms. BTX-A is used in medical treatment, such as the treatment of a blepharospasm, a hemifacial spasm, spasmodic torticollis, etc... and it also is used in cosmetics medical treatment of expression wrinkles. Moreover, the increased blood flow facilitated by BTX-A has been pointed out, and the possibility of its use in the medical treatment of peripheral vascular disorder has been suggested. We applied BTX-A medication to the femoral artery of the rat, and measured the hemodynamic change using a Laser Doppler blood flow meter. The center of the path of the femoral artery became partially ligated which consequently decreased the blood flow. Xeomin was used as the BTX-A medicine. Xeomin (0.5 U and 1 U, 2 U, 4 U, 8 U) was dissolved in 0.02 ml of physiologic saline, and each reagent, diluted to normal concentration, was injected into the model rat femoral artery where the blood vessel circumference film for ligation was positioned. Moreover, the part was medicated with 0.02 ml of physiological saline as control. The blood flow of the femoral artery was measured before ligation, after ligation and on the 3rd day after injection. In 1 U, 2 U, 4 U, and 8 U group, a marked increase in blood flow was seen by the 3rd day after injection. An apparent change of the blood flow was seen in 0.5 U group or the control group. It was suggested that the effect that BTX-A injection of 1 U or more facilitates blood flow improvement as noted by blood vessel circumference film in the rat. Further research regarding the action time, the grade of diffusion, etc. is necessary in order to use BTX-A as a medicine aimed at a blood flow improvement.
