Colchicine Side Effects

Please note - some side effects for Colchicine may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Colchicine - for the Consumer

Colchicine/Probenecid

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Colchicine/Probenecid:

Diarrhea; dizziness; flushing; hair loss; headache; loss of appetite; nausea; sore gums; stomach pain; vomiting.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood in the urine; chills; dark urine; decreased or increased urination; fever; infection; lower back, lower stomach, genital, or inner thigh pain; muscle weakness; numbness or tingling; severe diarrhea; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; sore throat; tiredness; unusual bleeding or bruising; weakness; worsening gout; yellowing of the eyes or skin.

Colchicine

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Colchicine:

Diarrhea; nausea; stomach pain; vomiting.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); fever; infection; numbness or tingling; severe diarrhea; sore throat; tiredness; unusual bleeding or bruising; weakness.

Side Effects by Body System

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in nearly 80% of treated patients, and can be indicative of acute colchicine toxicity. Anorexia, electrolyte disturbance, pancreatitis, and paralytic ileus may also occur, and steatorrhea and enzyme inhibition have been reported in patients on long-term colchicine prophylaxis.

Gastrointestinal side effects may occur with either oral or intravenous administration.

Hematologic

A case of fatal pancytopenia developed in a patient treated with 10 mg of colchicine over a 5 day period.

Thrombocytopenia is a rare side effect and is usually associated with myelotoxicity.

Fatal marrow aplasia was reported in a 70-year-old who was given 10 mg of colchicine intravenously over a 5 day period.

Hematologic side effects have included thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, bone marrow failure, bone marrow depression, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and aplastic anemia in patients on long-term therapy and are most common in cases of overdose or intoxication. Heinz-body hemolytic anemia has been reported in 3 cases.

Nervous system

Colchicine-induced neuromyopathy often presents with a pattern of general muscle weakness, elevated creatinine phosphokinase, a diffuse myositic pattern on EMG, and noninflammatory vacuolar changes on muscle biopsy.

Nervous system side effects have rarely included myopathy, seizures, mental status changes, and neuropathy in patients with impaired renal function, and are sometimes reversible with drug discontinuation. Neuromyopathy occurrence has been reported with or without elevated muscle enzymes.

Renal

Acute renal failure with a fatal outcome has been reported in a 78-old-man after a 10 day course of colchicine 0.5 mg three times a day.

Chronic renal failure has been reported in two Sepharad patients after 20 years of appropriate colchicine therapy for familial Mediterranean fever.

Renal side effects have included acute renal failure and rare cases of rapid progressive glomerulonephritis. Chronic renal failure and acute renal failure with a fatal outcome following colchicine toxicity have been reported.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included urticaria, alopecia after intoxication or long-term usage, toxic epidermal necrolysis with concomitant ethanol use, fixed drug eruption, dermatitis, and purpura.

Local

Local side effects have included venous irritation following intravenous administration of colchicine. Tissue irritation or damage may result if extravasation occurs.

Genitourinary

A case of reversible azoospermia has been reported in a patient treated with colchicine. The patient's sperm count returned to normal when colchicine was discontinued, and decreased on reintroduction of the drug. The patient fathered two apparently normal children while not receiving the drug. One study of six patients treated with colchicine showed moderate oligospermia in two patients, but no effect in any of the treated patients.

Genitourinary side effects have rarely included azoospermia.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have occasionally been reported.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects including adult respiratory distress syndrome have been reported.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have been reported the most frequently. These have included myopathy, manifested as weakness, neuropathy, and paralysis.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a reference resource beyond the date hereof. This information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients, or recommend therapy. This drug information is a reference resource designed as supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill , knowledge, and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug of drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Drugs.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.