Colchicine Aids Gout Sufferers
Gout is a disease where too much uric acid in the blood forms crystals in the fluid of the joints, in the tendons and in the tissues around them. It occurs particularly in the joints and small bones of the feet. Gout flare-ups can be sudden and are characterized by sharp, stabbing pain, swelling and redness. Gout, also called gout arthritis, is diagnosed by the presence of the uric acid crystals. Attacks of gout can be debilitating.
The number of gout sufferers has increased recently, to affect up to two percent of the population. The probable cause for this is the change in the Western diet. Gout has been called the disease of kings or the rich man’s disease. Alcohol and excessive consumption of meat and seafood can trigger attacks. Cherry juice was once used as a treatment for gout. Today colchicine is a popular choice for controlling gout flare-ups.
Colchicine is an anti-gout medication. It comes from a plant called autumn crocus or meadow saffron. It is a natural substance, available in the United States as a prescription drug. Colchicine can also be administered intravenously. While colchicine does not cure gout, it does relieve gout sufferers from the pain that accompanies gout flare-ups.
Colchicine is a beta tubulin interactor. As an anti-inflammatory it’s used not only to treat gout, but Behcet’s disease. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA in 2009. It’s also used to treat Mediterranean fever, pericarditis, and biliary cirrhosis. And it’s being researched for use as an anti-cancer drug.
Colchicine users report that the drug is very fast-acting, relieving the pain, redness and swelling that accompany gout flare-ups almost immediately. Colchicine can be taken with or without food.
Scientists are not sure how colchicine works. Apparently it reduces the uric acid crystals in the joint’s fluid that cause the inflammation and pain of gout. The important point is that it does work and work quickly to relieve gout sufferers of their suffering. |
