Botox, a relatively new treatment, works by paralyzing muscle contractions through injection of a toxin into the muscle. This toxin is derived from the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum and is toxic to nervous cells. Botox (observed in Japan since 1930) is injected into muscle, typically in the facial muscles. Botulinum toxin paralyzes the muscle tissue by acting on the receptor protein channel gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Once a receptor for this toxin in the nerve becomes blocked, it stops sending messages from