Colchicine

Colchicine is an alkaloid derived from crocuses that has anti-inflammatory properties. It's nonanalgesic and tolerance to it cannot develop. It's used as a treatment for gouty arthritis which results from a building up of uric acid in the joints. Because it's not a uricosuric, which increases the output of uric acid in urine, it's often combined with uricosurics to encourage the expelling of the uric acid from the joints.
Off label, it's used for other types of arthritis, leukemia, multiple sclerosis and cirrhosis. It's absorbed from the intestinal tract and metabolized in the liver before being excreted in feces.
It's contraindicated for patients with blood abnormalities and severe gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic or cardiac disease. Skin irritation may occur from intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Possibly life-threatening side effects are bone marrow depression, a severe drop in the number of white blood cells in the body (agranulocytosis) and aplastic anemia.
Colchicine at Wikipedia
Category:Pharmaceuticals