Question

Why is Botulinum toxin so acutely toxic?

Answer 1

It has an enormous size btw: \[C6760H10447N1743O2010S32 \]
And it has a LD50 of 0,005-0,05 µg/kg which is less than a grain of sand for an adult human.

Answer 2

1 mole of this stuff weights 150kg LOL

Answer 3

Botulinum toxin is a protein and neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is the most acutely toxic substance known, with an estimated human median lethal dose of 1.3–2.1 ng/kg intravenously or intramuscularly and 10–13 ng/kg when inhaled. Botulinum toxin can cause botulism, a serious and life-threatening illness in humans and animals. Popularly known by one of its trade names, Botox, it is used for various cosmetic and medical procedures.

Answer 4

yes i have read the wikipedia page :P

Answer 5

damn you. lol

Answer 6

I know what it is and what it does (inhibition of synaptic vesicle release) but what i am trying to find out is why is it so much more extremely lethal than other toxins. Does the giant size have something to do with this?

Answer 7

i have no idea. i really dont

Answer 8

@thomaster this is a question as to say why "mercury" is so toxic even in minute amounts..
Every cell needs to respire and Hg, cyanides, etc block the very last step of the Electron transport system and the respiration stop just before giving the extra electrons to O2. and the Hg atom gets regenerated to keep blocking!!!!!

molecular sizes are usually not the matter. It is the bio-chemical pathways they affect in an organism. Respiration, as you know is very important (duh) and those chemicals... just a single atom can inhibit numerous such respirations leading to cell death..

Neurotoxins are similar.. if the neurotoxin is able to block the nerological signals for the involuntary actions (like the cardiac rhythm), the entire body fails in a matter of time.

Answer 9

the fact that botulinum can enter the body by mere inhalation, you pracatically have a zero chance of knowing apriori that a botulinum molecule is floating near the nose!!

Answer 10

you would still need about 20-200 billion molecules to die :D

Answer 11

that is still way less than "1" mole

Answer 12

the point is, if a molecule is able to kill a cell and is regenerated to kill more, then one molecule is enough.

Answer 13

how many atoms of mercury would you have to "lick" to die?

Answer 14

haha you probably wouldn't want to lick mercury

Answer 15

but according to you, if i would inhale like 1 billion botulinum toxin molecules i'd die?
Why do they even calculate a LD50 if you'd die with just 1 molecule?

Answer 16

I am exaggerating the facts. How many molecules would be needed to block a complee biochemical pathway.

Answer 17

you may argue that the number of cells in different indivuduals woiuld be different, the number of "chemo-receptors" for the toxin would be different but
the ld50 gives you an average estimate and a comparative measure for lethality

Answer 18

we look and compare the macro effects of a multitude of molecular reactions..

Answer 19

Isn't this Chemistry o_o?

Answer 20

@Carniel it's about a neurotoxin produced by bacteria that inhibitis the synaptic vesicle release. How would you consider that chemistry xD

Answer 21

Because of the element itself you posted o.o Look like it had something to do with Chemistry.. LoL

Answer 22

You wouldn't learn this in Bio unless you go to some TOP school. If not you would learn in Chemistry.

Answer 23

It's not an element :P it's a molecule which consists of element.

Answer 24

lol i learn everything about this in medical microbiology

Answer 25

Well i get more of this stuff at toxicology than med microbio

Answer 26

And i am studying biology so i think i go to a TOP school then xD

Answer 27

I'm done with Bio and this was never taught... Only learned in Chem .-.

Answer 28

at highschool?

Answer 29

LoL I learned Bio in 9th grade :x

Answer 30

oke i'm in university so i probably get some harder bio than 9th grade :P

Answer 31

interfere with neural transmission by blocking the release of acetylcholine, the principal neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction, causing muscle paralysis.
Botulinum toxins act at four different sites in the body: The neuromuscular junction, autonomic ganglia, postganglionic parasympathetic nerve endings and postganglionic sympathetic nerve endings that release acetylcholine.
The affected nerve terminals do not degenerate, but the blockage of neurotransmitter release is irreversible. Function can be recovered by the sprouting of nerve terminals and formation of new synaptic contacts; this usually takes two to three months.

Answer 32

Shawn did you get that from a site...?

Answer 33

pharmacology
katzung