Thalidomide's Terrid Rath

This article explains the negative effects of a drug called Thalidomide. Thalidomide was an anti nausea drug given to pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 1960s to help deal with morning sickness. Unfortunately, Thalidomide caused the babies to develop a variety of horrible birth defects. Some of these birth defects included shortened arms and legs, ear deformities, and malformations in the digestive system. Luckily, the drug was pulled off of the market in 1961. Thalidomide has been brought back onto the market again to treat things like various cancers and leprosy.

How Thalidomide exactly works to cause all of these birth effects is still unknown. Scientists were able to establish that although the drug reaches all areas of the body via the bloodstream, one of its main targets is the brain. Thalidomide's second main targets are blood vessels. It appeared that the drug prevented proper limb growth by preventing angiogenesis, which is new blood vessel growth. Lastly Thalidomide reduces inflammation.