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Review
. 2015 May;128(5):461-70.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.12.010. Epub 2014 Dec 30.

Colchicine: old and new

Affiliations
Review

Colchicine: old and new

Anastasia Slobodnick et al. Am J Med. 2015 May.

Abstract

Although colchicine has been a focus of research, debate, and controversy for thousands of years, the US Food and Drug Administration just approved it in 2009. Over the past decade, advances in the knowledge of colchicine pharmacology, drug safety, and mechanisms of action have led to changes in colchicine dosing and to potential new uses for this very old drug. In this review, we discuss the pharmacologic properties of colchicine and summarize what is currently known about its mechanisms of action. We then discuss and update the use of colchicine in a variety of illnesses, including rheumatic and, most recently, cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Colchicine; Gout; Inflammation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: AS: None. SK: None. MHP is the recipient of an investigator-initiated grant and also serves as a study site investigator for a trial supported by Takeda, Inc; is the recipient of an investigator-initiated grant from Savient, Inc; is the recipient of an investigator-initiated grant and has served as a consultant for Crealta, Inc; and has served as a consultant for Astra-Zeneca, Inc. BS is the recipient of an investigator-initiated grant (drug and placebo only) from Takeda, Inc.

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Comment in

  • Colchicine toxicity: an exaggerated reality?
    Solak Y, Acikgoz SB, Yildirim M. Solak Y, et al. Am J Med. 2015 Aug;128(8):e11. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.02.020. Am J Med. 2015. PMID: 26210455 No abstract available.
  • The reply.
    Slobodnick A, Shah B, Pillinger M, Krasnokutsky S. Slobodnick A, et al. Am J Med. 2015 Aug;128(8):e13. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.03.014. Am J Med. 2015. PMID: 26210456 No abstract available.

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