The word 'jaundice' has originated from the French vocabulary 'jaune' which denotes the color, yellow. Since yellowing of the body tissues is the most prominent symptom or indication of jaundice, therefore the medical conditioncan also be termed as yellow jaundice.

The bone marrow is the site of production of red blood cells in the human body. The life cycle of red blood cells is approximately 120 days. At the completion of this cycle, the old RBCs are destroyed by cells known as phagocytes present in the bone marrow, spleen and liver.

During this metabolism of the old RBC, various parts like amino acids, iron and bilirubin are released. While amino acids and iron are of utility to the body and are reabsorbed; bilirubin is a waste product. From the blood, bilirubin moves to the liver for further processing as bile. This waste product travels from the liver through the bile duct to the intestines, from where it is excreted in the form of feces. A small portion of the bilirubin is reabsorbed by the walls of the intestine, which is finally excreted as urobilinogen via urine. Failure in this entire procedure of elimination of bilirubin from the body at any level can result in jaundice, characterized by the yellow staining of the skin and eyes.

The initial indications of the disease are evident in the appearance of the individual itself. Thereafter, diagnosis of jaundice involves a blood test for assessing the level of bilirubin in the blood. Tests to check for hemolysis and hepatitis are also conducted. An ultrasound may also be recommended by the doctor to look for any obstruction in the liver and bile ducts. A CT scan may prove to be even better in this respect. The treatment of jaundice is based on the cause of the condition.

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