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What Is Colchicine?

Colchicine is a prescription alkaloid used for prevention and treatment of gout flares and for familial Mediterranean fever. Current tablets contain 0.6 mg. Gout dosing differs between flare prevention and treatment, while familial Mediterranean fever dosing depends on age and clinical response.

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What Is Colchicine?

Colchicine is a prescription alkaloid used for prevention and treatment of gout flares and for familial Mediterranean fever. Current tablets contain 0.6 mg. Gout dosing differs between flare prevention and treatment, while familial Mediterranean fever dosing depends on age and clinical response.

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How Does Colchicine Reduce Inflammation?

Colchicine disrupts microtubule formation by inhibiting beta-tubulin polymerization. This reduces neutrophil activation, degranulation, and migration involved in gout inflammation. In familial Mediterranean fever, colchicine also interferes with inflammasome-related signaling involved in interleukin-1 beta activation.

Which Conditions Are Treated With Colchicine?

Colchicine is approved for prevention and treatment of gout flares in adults. It is also used for familial Mediterranean fever in adults and children age 4 and older. Colchicine is not a general analgesic and should not be used for pain from unrelated causes.

How Is Colchicine Dosed for Gout?

For adult gout flare prevention, the recommended dose is 0.6 mg once or twice daily, with a 1.2 mg daily maximum. For treatment of an acute gout flare, 1.2 mg is taken at the first sign of the flare followed by 0.6 mg one hour later. Kidney, liver, age, and interacting medicines can change dosing.

What Serious Risks Are Linked to Colchicine?

Colchicine overdose can be fatal. Serious risks include bone marrow suppression, low blood cell counts, neuromuscular toxicity, myopathy, and rhabdomyolysis. Strong CYP3A4 or P-glycoprotein inhibitors can sharply increase colchicine exposure. Their use with colchicine is contraindicated in patients with kidney or liver impairment due life-threatening toxicity.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colchicine

What conditions does colchicine treat?

Colchicine treats gout flares, helps prevent gout flares, and treats familial Mediterranean fever.

What is the labeled dose for an acute gout flare?

The regimen is 1.2 mg at the first sign of a flare followed by 0.6 mg one hour later.

Is colchicine a pain reliever?

No. Current labeling states that colchicine is not an analgesic for pain from unrelated causes.

Can colchicine interact with other medicines?

Yes. CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibitors can increase colchicine exposure and cause severe or fatal toxicity.

References

Colchicine. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682711.html. Date Accessed September 23, 2026.

Colchicine. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Colchicine. Date Accessed September 23, 2026.

Colchicine. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431102/. Date Accessed September 23, 2026.

DailyMed - COLCHICINE tablet, film coated. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=28efb8cf-3ef4-4cd6-b6f6-131f3ca01112. Date Accessed September 23, 2026.

DailyMed - COLCRYS (colchicine) tablet, film coated. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d6adc880-5499-4691-93f3-27c87902d5fc. Date Accessed September 23, 2026.