Colchicine

Colchicine,a plant alkaloid, is used for the treatment of acute gouty arthritis.

It is neither uricosuric nor an analgesic agent,but it relieves pain in acute attacks of gout.

Therapeutic uses:

Gout:Colchicine is anti-inflammatory that’s why it is used as prophylactic agent to prevent acute attacks of gout in patients initiating urate-lowering therapy.
Behçet’s disease:Colchicine is also used as an anti-inflammatory agent for long-term treatment of Behçet’s disease. It appears to have limited effect in relapsing polychondritis, as it may only be useful for the treatment of chondritis and mild skin symptoms.
Pericarditis:Colchicine is also used in addition to other therapy in the treatment of pericarditis

Mechanism of action:

There are various mechanisms by which colchicine may interfere with gout inflammation:

Inhibits microtubule polymerization by binding to tubulin, one of the main constituents of microtubules
as availability of tubulin is essential to mitosis, colchicine may inhibit mitosis
Inhibits activation and migration of neutrophils to sites of inflammation
Interferes with the inflammasome complex found in neutrophils and monocytes that mediate interleukin-1β activation, a component of inflammation
inhibits superoxide anion production in response to urate crystals
Interrupts mast cell degranulation

Adverse effects:

It may cause;