Colchicine is a drug for treating acute gouty arthritis. In acute gouty arthritis there is severe inflammation in response to the presence of uric acid crystals that form in the boney joints. This causes severe pain, redness, and swelling of affected joint(s). Colchicine is useful in suppressing the inflammation inacute gouty arthritis.
Colchicine is also used to treat a rare condition called familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) in adults and children older than 4 years of age.
Colchicine may be used in 2 ways. Most people take small amounts of it regularly for a long time (months or even years) to prevent severe attacks or other problems caused by inflammation. Other people take large amounts of colchicine during a short period of time (several hours) only when the medicine is needed to relieve an attack that is occurring. The chance of serious side effects is much lower with the first (preventive) kind of treatment.