Definition

Noun: - A disease caused by a deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3) or tryptophan, or by a defect in the body's metabolic conversion of tryptophan to niacin. It is characterized by gastrointestinal disturbances, skin erythema (redness/inflammation), and nervous or mental disorders. The condition can be caused by malnutrition, alcoholism, or other nutritional impairments.

Usage Notes

• This is a medical term, also known as pellagra. It is a specific nutritional deficiency disease.
• The term is often used in historical or clinical contexts to describe the condition and its symptoms.
• It is a non-count noun when referring to the disease as a condition.

Examples

• The physician diagnosed the patient with mal de la rosa after observing the classic triad of symptoms: diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia.
• In the early 20th century, mal de la rosa was common in populations whose diet relied heavily on corn.
• Chronic alcoholism can lead to mal de la rosa due to poor nutrition and impaired vitamin absorption.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used in public health discussions about historical diseases of poverty and malnutrition.
• It may appear in medical literature describing the biochemical pathways of niacin metabolism.

Variants and Related Words

• Pellagra (n): The more common English name for the same disease.
• Niacin deficiency (n): A more general term describing the lack of vitamin B3, which is the direct cause of mal de la rosa.

Synonyms

• Pellagra: The direct synonym.
• Vitamin B3 deficiency: A descriptive synonym focusing on the cause.
• Nicotinic acid deficiency: An older technical term for the same deficiency.

Related Phrases/Idioms

This is a specific medical term and is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs.

Noun

1. a disease caused by deficiency of niacin or tryptophan (or by a defect in the metabolic conversion of tryptophan to niacin); characterized by gastrointestinal disturbances and erythema and nervous or mental disorders; may be caused by malnutrition or alcoholism or other nutritional impairments