Colchicine Side Effects
Serious Adverse Side Effects
Colchicine has only one serious adverse side effect to it:
- Hematological side effect of myelosuppression (where the bone marrow cannot produce enough blood cells)
Common Adverse Side Effects
Colchicine has more common and less severe adverse side effects to it, such as:
- Gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Warnings & Recalls for Colchicine
Recall
On February 8
, 2012, the FDA had ordered the companies and individuals who make intravenous
Colchicine products to stop production within 30 days and to stop shipping within 180 days. After these dates, all intravenous solutions of
Colchicine products must have FDA approval in order to be shipped interstate or manufactured. This recall doesn’t affect the pill or capsule forms of
Colchicine.
Contraindications
The only contraindication with
Colchicine is concurrent use with p-glycoprotein or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors except for Fosamprenavir, and in patients with hepatic or renal impairments. Life-threatening and fatal toxicity has occurred.
Who Should Not Take This Drug
The following patients with these preexisting conditions should never consider taking
Colchicine:
- Patients with blood dyscrasias
- Patients with hepatic or renal impairments
Pregnancy Warning
This drug has a pregnancy category rating of “C”, implying that although it doesn’t pose that much of a risk to the fetus while in pregnancy, expecting mothers should probably not consider taking this drug.
Colchicine Treatment and Use
Colchicine is a drug that is prescribed to treat gout. It is derived from a toxic natural product and secondary metabolite which is extracted from plants of the “meadow saffron” or autumn crocus. Its use has made it to be reputable throughout even ancient history from the times of the Egyptians.
Off-label uses for this drug include:
Check the “Warnings and Recalls” tab to get more information on the FDA recall of intravenous products associated with this drug.
How This Drug Works
Colchicine is known as an alkaloid. The exact mechanism of action by which it exerts its beneficial properties in patients with various diseases has still yet to be determined. It is thought that this drug interferes with intracellular assembly of complexes that cause inflammation.
Dosage Information
The dosage of Colchicine for various uses is largely dependent upon the nature of the illness at question. The following are the pediatric and adult dosing for this drug:
For pediatric patients:
- Familial Mediterranean fever: ( 4-6 years of age) 0.3mg to 1.8mg orally daily
- Familial Mediterranean fever: (6-12 years of age) 0.9mg to 1.8mg orally daily
- Familial Mediterranean fever: (older than 12 years) 1.2mg to 2.4mg orally daily
- Gout: (adolescents older than 16 years of age) 0.6mg orally 1-2 times daily (MAX 1.2mg)
For adult patients:
- Familial Mediterranean fever: 1.2mg to 2.4mg orally daily
- Gout: 1.2mg orally at 1st flare-up followed by 0.6mg 1 hour later (MAX 1.8mg over an hour)
- Gout (Prophylaxis): 0.6mg orally 1-2 times daily (MAX 1.2mg/day)
