According to reports of recently conducted lab experiments, thalidomide, a sedative taken by mothers to reduce morning sickness about half a century ago, which led to high risk of birth defects can now be used for treating a rare inherited blood disorder.

The disorder is known as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and causes regular, difficult-to-treat nosebleed, and affects about one person in 10,000.

According to French doctors, it was discovered that thalidomide can help to decrease the risk of hemorrhage and it stabilized blood vessels in rats hereditarily engineered to have HHT.

It was reported by the team of National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) that the drug works by increasing a protein called PDGF-B.

The experimental research was conducted with the aim to present ways by which HHT could be cured.

It was sold in the year 1957 and 1961. Thalidomide had affected more than 10,000 babies mainly in Canada, Germany, Britain and Australia.

It is said that the drug still remains illegal for common distribution.

Recently, the drug has been used as a part of a study, and for treating a cancer called multiple myeloma, and side-effects of leprosy.

The drug is only given to patients in tremendously tightly-controlled circumstances.