Category: M

Inflammation, or osteoarthritis, of a single joint. It is rare for osteoarthritis to affect only one joint. While several joints are usually affected, pain is sometimes experienced in only one or two joints at a time. Causes of monarthritis include trauma and infection.  

An abnormal pregnancy that probably results from the fertilization of a so-called empty egg, an egg without chromosomes. In this condition, the fertilized egg degenerates, and the placenta grows into a mass of tissue resembling a cluster of grapes. Molar pregnancy is very rare, occurring in only one out of every 1,000 or 1,200 pregnancies.…

An antiulcer drug. Misoprostol (Cytotec) is used to prevent stomach ulcers from developing in people who are taking anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin. Misoprostol helps the stomach protect itself against damage from gastric acid, and it also decreases the amount of acid produced. It should not be taken by women who are pregnant. A prostaglandin analogue…

A central nervous system stimulant drug. Methylphenidate (Methylin, Ritalin) is used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (sudden attacks of deep sleep), and other conditions. Methylphenidate used to treat ADHD in combination with social, educational, and psychological therapies; the goal is to increase the attention span of a person while decreasing restlessness in children and…

A drug used to treat skin conditions that increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Methoxsalen (8-MOP, Oxsoralen) is a very strong medicine used along with ultraviolet light to treat vitiligo, a condition in which skin color is lost, and psoriasis, a skin disorder associated with red, scaly patches. It is also used with ultraviolet light…

A central nervous system stimulant drug. Methamphetamine hydrochloride (Desoxyn) has limited medical uses, such as for the treatment of narcolepsy (sudden attacks of deep sleep), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity. Methamphetamine hydrochloride is powerfully addictive and affects the central nervous system, causing increased activity, decreased appetite, and a feeling of well-being that is often…

An antihyperglycemic drug. Metformin hydrochloride (Glucophage) is used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metformin hydrochloride is used to lower the blood sugar level and to make it possible for the body to convert blood sugar to energy, which it does by decreasing the production of glucose by the liver and increasing tissue responsiveness to…

A combination of hormones used in oral contraceptives (birth control pills). Mestranol and norethindrone (Necon, Norinyl, Ortho-Novum) are both female hormones involved in contraception; one is a form of estrogen and the other a form of progesterone. These hormones prevent pregnancy by causing the woman’s cervical mucus to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm…

A drug used to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Mesalamine (Asacol, Pentasa, Rowasa) is used to treat diseases such as ulcerative colitis. It works by reducing inflammation within the colon. Mesalamine is available as capsules, delayed-release tablets, rectal suppositories, and rectal enemas.  

A condition in which the colon’s mucous membrane is abnormally pigmented with melanin (a dark brown or black pigment that normally occurs in the skin, hair, and other tissues), due to prolonged use of certain stimulant types of laxatives, such as senna and castor oil. A benign brown or black discoloration of the colon that…