Colchicine: an ancient drug with novel applications

Colchicine is a treatment for gout that has been used for more than a millennium. It is the treatment of choice for familial Mediterranean fever and its associated complication, amyloidosis. The 2009 U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of colchicine as a new drug had research consequences. Recent investigations with large cohorts of patients with gout who have been taking colchicine for years have demonstrated novel applications within oncology, immunology, cardiology and dermatology. Some emerging dermatological uses include the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, leucocytoclastic vasculitis, aphthous stomatitis and others. In this work we relate the history and the new horizon of this ancient medicine. What's already known about this topic? Colchicine has a safe long-term profile as an anti-inflammatory agent. Colchicine is most effective in treating neutrophilic inflammation. It is the treatment of choice for gout and familial Mediterranean fever. What does this study add? A review of recent studies with a fresh look at colchicine. We examine new indications for colchicine as a repurposed medication including for dermatological conditions and cardiovascular disease, and its potential application as a chemopreventative agent for solid tumours. Plain language summary available online