title: [The centennial of the discovery of the antimitotic properties of colchicine].
abstract: Pernice, a sicilian pathologist active mainly in Italy (Palermo) from 1884 to 1906, published one hundred years ago the first observation of the mitotic changes observed in two dogs injected with a large dose of tincture of Colchicum. His description of the considerable increase in mitotic figures in the gastric and intestinal mucosa, and the absence of ana-telophases, clearly illustrate the well-known effect of a spindle poison. They were however completely forgotten until 1949. The modern aspect of the action of colchicine on mitosis in relation with the properties of microtubules and their dynamic condition are briefly considered in relation with the history of colchicine in modern cell biology.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dustin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003078:Colchicine / Q000266:history* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010336:Pathology / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine
vernacular_title: Sur le centenaire de la découverte des propriétés antimitotiques de la colchicine.