Eye of a patient showing yellowing caused by alcoholic jaundice. Jaundice is not a disease in itself, but is a symptom of many disorders of the liver and biliary system. Here it is caused by liver damage due to alcoholism. The yellowing symptoms of jaundice are caused by an excess of bilirubin, a bile pigment, in the blood. As well as alcoholism, jaundice may be caused by viral infections, liver cancer, gallstones and blockage of the bile ducts. Treatment is aimed at curing the underlying cause of the condition, in this case, complete abstinence from alcohol.