Binding of colchicine and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to bovine serum albumin: An in-vitro interaction study using multispectroscopic, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation study

Two or more drugs are prescribed commonly to patients depending on their physical health conditions. Concomitant drugs might lead to specific drug-drug interactions with serum albumin, the main transporter protein present in the blood. This study evaluated the effect of colchicine on the binding of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) commonly prescribed in viral infections to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The interaction was evaluated using fluorescence spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation. A static quenching mechanism was observed for both BSA-colchicine and BSA-ascorbic interaction. The binding constant for the BSA-ascorbic acid system decreased from 1.23 x 10(5) to 0.26 x 10(2) in the presence of colchicine, whereas the binding constant of BSA-colchicine decreased from 1.39 x 10(5) to 4.81 x 10(2) in the presence of ascorbic acid. Thus, the binding of ascorbic acid and colchicine was significantly affected in the presence of each other. Co-administration of colchicine and ascorbic acid needs to be studied further as the co-administration may lead to serious adverse events in patients taking vitamin C supplements and under treatment with colchicine. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the effect of colchicine on the binding of ascorbic acid to bovine serum albumin. The results showed that the presence of colchicine significantly affected the binding of ascorbic acid and colchicine to serum albumin, raising concerns about potential adverse events in patients receiving both supplements.