Botulinum neurotoxins absorption

Although inhalational botulinum intoxication was investigated in other animal species, these studies have not provided specific data on toxin absorption. The behavior of BoNTs in the respiratory tract was only recently investigated. Park and Simpson (2003) studied the properties of pure BoNT/A neurotoxin both in vivo and in vitro using mice and pulmonary cell culture models, respectively. Mean survival times were compared in mice receiving various doses of pure BoNT/A either IN or IP. Pure BoNT/A was found to be a potent intranasal poison, although the toxicity (as determined by mean survival time) associated with IP administration was somewhat higher. Mean survival times in mice were less than 100 (IP) or 600 min (IN) after administration of 0.1 pg pure toxin 75 (IP) or 400 min (IN) for 1 pg toxin and 120 min (IN) for 10 pg toxin (Park and... 

---