Colchicine: Bid Adieu to Joint Pains with Colchicine

Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory drug extracted from the plant species Colchicum autumnale. The extracted form is an alkaloid. Colchicine is (S) N-(5, 6, 7, 9-tetrahydro- 1, 2, 3, IO-tetramethoxy-9-oxobenzo [alpha] heptaien-7-yl) acetamide chemically. The drug is mostly recommended for gout-associated arthritis and is prescribed as an oral medication.

Drug Uses

Colchicine is the choice of drug for giving pain relief for those who suffer from acute arthritis. The drug is also recommended as a prophylactic means to prevent severe pain bouts especially for gout patients who face the risk of attacks of arthritis with very small surgical interventions and it is believed that Colchicine can abort such a risk.

How to Take Drug

Colchicine is an oral medication and comes in granule and tablet formulations. The granules are sugar coated and come in 0.5mg dosage and the tablet has 0.6mg of active Colchicine.

When prescribed for prophylactic treatment, the drug should be taken three times a day (either granule or tablet form) before the surgery and after the surgery.

Drug Precautions

While the minimum total Colchicine dose required to abate inflammation and pain in gouty arthritis patients is 4mg the maximum is 8 mg and even if the pain has not been controlled after full administration of Colchicine, there needs to be a relax period of 3 to 4 days to start another Colchicine course. This is to avoid Colchicine toxicity. Since, Colchicine is an Rx medication and therefore should not be taken without a prescription.

Drug Interactions

Drug is shown to have positive results when used along with ACTH when taken at 1 mg dosage per day.
The drug is also known to enhance a person`s sensitivity to the central nervous system depressants.
Colchicine is also known to enhance the efficacy of sympathomimetic drugs.

Adverse Effects with Colchicine

There are not many very severe adversities with Colchicine, although, in the worst cases bone marrow suppression is reported. Thrombocytopenia is reported when Colchicine is taken for by arthritis for a long term. Azoospermia or infertility is reported but it could be corrected.

Simple reactions including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are reported and if there is persistent diarrhea, the patients need to report to their physicians.

Missed Dose

Missed dose of Colchicine may not show immediately but continuous missing of Colchicine for 3 to 4 days will have effects and the patient may experience mild attacks.

Overdose Effects

Overdose of Colchicine mostly include vomiting and diarrhea. However, acute toxicity may result in kidney damage and paralysis of CNS and convulsions.
Gastric lavage with hemodialysis should usually revert back the toxic effects.
There are no specific antidotes for Colchicine, however, morhine and atropine are given to treat the gastric upset inflicted by toxic doses.

Storage

Colchicine is a photosensitive drug and needs to be stored in light-resistant vials and to be stored under room temperatures.