Biomaterial Database

Colchicine: a state-of-the-art review. 1991

M Levy, and M Spino, and S E Read

Division of General Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Colchicine is an ancient drug that is attracting renewed interest because of its actions at a subcellular level. Specifically, it interferes with microtubule growth and therefore affects mitosis and other microtubule-dependent functions. Various mechanisms have been proposed to account for the action of colchicine in acute gouty arthritis, its interaction with cellular membrane and cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate, and its action in amyloidosis. Pharmacokinetic studies have been relatively limited and their results somewhat contradictory, with mean terminal elimination half-lives of 19 minutes to 9 hours being reported. Some of these differences may be attributed to assay difficulties. Colchicine can cause gastrointestinal side effects and should be used with care to protect patients from toxic doses. Colchicine-induced myopathy and neuropathy may be more frequent than previously recognized, and therefore patients receiving long-term therapy should be monitored carefully. Bone marrow depression has been reported, primarily in cases of acute colchicine intoxication, and intravenous administration of the drug has been associated with severe pancytopenia and death. Colchicine intoxication causes multiple organ failure. Because of its cytogenic effects and reported association with Down's syndrome, the agent should not be used by pregnant women.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D010505	Familial Mediterranean Fever	A group of HEREDITARY AUTOINFLAMMATION DISEASES, characterized by recurrent fever, abdominal pain, headache, rash, PLEURISY; and ARTHRITIS. ORCHITIS; benign MENINGITIS; and AMYLOIDOSIS may also occur. Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in marenostrin gene encoding PYRIN result in autosomal recessive transmission; simple heterozygous, autosomal dominant form of the disease also exists with mutations in the same gene.	Mediterranean Fever, Familial,Periodic Disease,Periodic Disease, Wolff's,Wolff Periodic Disease,Wolff's Periodic Disease,Benign Paroxysmal Peritonitis,Familial Mediterranean Fever, Autosomal Dominant,Familial Mediterranean Fever, Autosomal Recessive,Familial Paroxysmal Polyserositis,Periodic Peritonitis,Polyserositis, Familial Paroxysmal,Polyserositis, Recurrent,Recurrent Polyserositis,Benign Paroxysmal Peritonitides,Disease, Periodic,Disease, Wolff Periodic,Disease, Wolff's Periodic,Diseases, Periodic,Familial Paroxysmal Polyserositides,Paroxysmal Peritonitides, Benign,Paroxysmal Peritonitis, Benign,Paroxysmal Polyserositides, Familial,Paroxysmal Polyserositis, Familial,Periodic Disease, Wolff,Periodic Disease, Wolffs,Periodic Diseases,Periodic Peritonitides,Peritonitides, Benign Paroxysmal,Peritonitides, Periodic,Peritonitis, Benign Paroxysmal,Peritonitis, Periodic,Polyserositides, Familial Paroxysmal,Polyserositides, Recurrent,Recurrent Polyserositides,Wolffs Periodic Disease
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D003078	Colchicine	A major alkaloid from Colchicum autumnale L. and found also in other Colchicum species. Its primary therapeutic use is in the treatment of gout, but it has been used also in the therapy of familial Mediterranean fever (PERIODIC DISEASE).	Colchicine, (+-)-Isomer,Colchicine, (R)-Isomer
D004351	Drug Resistance	Diminished or failed response of an organism, disease or tissue to the intended effectiveness of a chemical or drug. It should be differentiated from DRUG TOLERANCE which is the progressive diminution of the susceptibility of a human or animal to the effects of a drug, as a result of continued administration.	Resistance, Drug
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000686	Amyloidosis	A group of sporadic, familial and/or inherited, degenerative, and infectious disease processes, linked by the common theme of abnormal protein folding and deposition of AMYLOID. As the amyloid deposits enlarge they displace normal tissue structures, causing disruption of function. Various signs and symptoms depend on the location and size of the deposits.	Amyloidoses
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia