145 research outputs found
Botulinum Toxins
No full textClostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium that secretes an extremely large neurotoxic molecule (900 kDa), which produces food poisoning or botulism. It is now also used in medicine to treat diseases according to Paracelsus's paradigm that the difference between a poison and a drug lies in the dose. Although seven different serotypes of the bacterium are known, type A is the one mostly used for the production of clinical formulations. The surrounding portions have no pharmacological activity and simply act as a protective shield ensuring unchanged toxin absorption from the host's gastrointestinal tract. These surrounding molecules are named accessory proteins and are both hemagglutinin and non-hemagglutinin in nature. Once the toxin has entered the host by ingestion or injection, the biological role of the accessory proteins is largely terminated and the 150 kDa neurotoxin comes into play. Botulinum toxin treatment of mimetic muscles, also termed chemodenervation, requires a thorough knowledge of muscle anatomy
Vaginal rejuvenation using energy-based devices
No full textAbstractPhysiologic changes in a woman’s life, such as childbirth, weight fluctuations, and hormonal changes due to aging and menopause, may alter the laxity of the vaginal canal, damage the pelvic floor, and devitalize the mucosal tone of the vaginal wall. These events often lead to the development of genitourinary conditions such as stress urinary incontinence; vaginal atrophy; dryness; and physiologic distress affecting a woman’s quality of life, self-confidence, and sexuality. Various treatment modalities are currently available to manage these indications, varying from invasive vaginal surgery to more benign treatments like topical vaginal hormonal gels or hormone-replacement therapy. A new trend gaining momentum is the advent of energy-based devices for vaginal rejuvenation that apply thermal or nonthermal energy to the various layers of the vaginal tissue, stimulating collagen regeneration contracture of elastin fibers, neovascularization, and improved vaginal lubrication. This review aims to present the available technologies offering vaginal rejuvenation and the scientific evidence that underlines their safety and efficacy for this indication
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