Main Entry: tha·lid·o·mide

Pronunciation: \thə-ˈlid-ə-ˌmīd, -məd\

Function: noun

: a sedative, hypnotic, and antiemetic drug C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄ that was used chiefly in Europe during the late 1950s and early 1960s especially to treat morning sickness but was soon withdrawn after being shown to cause serious malformations (as missing or severely shortened arms and legs) in infants born to mothers using it during the first trimester of pregnancy and has now been reintroduced for use as a treatment for the cutaneous complications of leprosy and is being investigated for use as an immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic agent in the treatment of various diseases