title: Colchicine as an anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective agent.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colchicine has been successfully used for the treatment of neutrophilic disorders such as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), Behçet disease (BD) and gout. There is a growing interest in its cardiovascular effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A MEDLINE/PubMed search for English articles published from January 1972 to June 2015 was completed using the following terms: therapy, pharmacokinetics, efficiency, side effects, toxicity, heart, colchicine, inflammation, FMF, amyloidosis, BD, gout, cardiovascular disorders, pericarditis, arrhythmias, inflammation, neutrophils, platelets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By targeting neutrophils, endothelial cells and platelets, inhibiting mitosis, vascular hyperplasia and fibrosis, colchicine improves outcomes of pericarditis, myocardial ischemia and coronary interventions. Studies in neutrophilic rheumatic diseases and cardiovascular disorders demonstrated that oral colchicine at doses of 0.5 - 2.5 mg/daily is useful for treating pericarditis, myocardial ischemia and coronary occlusion. In rheumatic and cardiovascular disorders, therapeutic doses of the drug reduce C-reactive protein to levels below 2 mg/L, prevent myocardial damage and preserve normal values of atrial and ventricular impulse generation. One of the drug's frequent side effects is diarrhea, which is treated by diet modification or temporary discontinuation of the therapy. Certain drugs (macrolides, statins), comorbidities and certain genetic factors increase risk of colchicine toxicity.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (Teaching Trust of University of Birmingham), Russells Hall Hospital, Departments of Rheumatology and Research & Development , DY1 2HQ, Dudley, UK +44 138 424 4842 ; +44 138 424 4808 ; a.gasparyan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Armen Yuri
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Gasparyan
authors.affiliation: b 2 Yerevan State Medical University, Department of Medical Chemistry , Yerevan, Armenia.
authors.forename: Lilit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ayvazyan
authors.affiliation: c 3 South Kazakhstan State Pharmaceutical Academy, Department of Biochemistry, Biology and Microbiology , Shymkent, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: Marlen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yessirkepov
authors.affiliation: a 1 Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (Teaching Trust of University of Birmingham), Russells Hall Hospital, Departments of Rheumatology and Research & Development , DY1 2HQ, Dudley, UK +44 138 424 4842 ; +44 138 424 4808 ; a.gasparyan@gmail.com.|d 4 University of Manchester, Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology Unit , Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kitas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D003078:Colchicine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D003078:Colchicine
keywords: Behçet disease; amyloidosis; cardiovascular disease; colchicine; familial mediterranean fever; gout; neutrophils; toxicity