Drug
Colchicine
Pronounced
"KOL-chi-seen"
Drug Interactions
See also How to Use and Precautions sections.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Other medications can affect the removal of colchicine from your body, which may affect how colchicine works or increase the risk of serious side effects. Examples include adagrasib, certain azole antifungals (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole), diltiazem, HIV protease inhibitors (such as atazanavir, darunavir), macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin), ritonavir, telithromycin, tucatinib, verapamil, among others.
Colchicine may rarely cause a certain kind of serious (even fatal) muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis). This muscle damage releases substances that can lead to serious kidney problems. The risk may be increased if other drugs that may also cause rhabdomyolysis are taken along with colchicine. Some affected drugs include: atorvastatin, digoxin, gemfibrozil, pravastatin, simvastatin, among others.
This medication may interfere with certain lab tests, possibly causing false test results. Make sure lab personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.
Do not take this medication with any other product that contains colchicine.
Negative Interactions
1- Reduces Effectiveness
Colchicine
Teas and Herbs with Tannin
Tannins are a group of unrelated chemicals that give plants an astringent taste. Herbs with large amounts of tannins may interfere with the absorption of codeine and should not be taken together with codeine or codeine-containing products. Herbs containing high levels of tannins include green tea (Camellia sinensis), black tea, uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), black walnut (Juglans nigra),red raspberry (Rubus idaeus),oak (Quercus spp.), and witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).
Teas and Herbs with TanninColchicine- Brinker F. Interactions of pharmaceutical and botanical medicines. J Naturopathic Med 1997;7(2):14-20.
Supportive Interactions
4- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Colchicine
Beta-Carotene
Colchicine has been associated with impaired absorption of beta-carotene, fat, lactose (milk sugar), potassium, and sodium.
Beta-CaroteneColchicine- Werbach MR. Foundations of Nutritional Medicine. Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press, 1997, 223-4 [review].
- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Colchicine
Potassium
Colchicine has been associated with impaired absorption of beta-carotene, fat, lactose (milk sugar), potassium, and sodium.
PotassiumColchicine- Werbach MR. Foundations of Nutritional Medicine. Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press, 1997, 223-4 [review].
- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Colchicine
Sodium
Colchicine has been associated with impaired absorption of beta-carotene, fat, lactose (milk sugar), potassium, and sodium.
SodiumColchicine- Werbach MR. Foundations of Nutritional Medicine. Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press, 1997, 223-4 [review].
- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Colchicine
Vitamin B12
Colchicine may interfere with vitamin B12 in the body. Research is inconsistent. Both colchicine and vitamin B12 deficiency are reported to cause neuropathies (disorders of the nervous system), but it remains unclear whether neuropathies caused by colchicine could be due to vitamin B12 depletion.
Vitamin B12Colchicine- Palopoli JJ, Waxman J. Colchicine neuropathy or vitamin B12 deficiency neuropathy? N Engl J Med 1987;317:1290 [letter].
- Kuncl RW et al. Colchicine neuropathy or vitamin B12 deficiency neuropathy? N Engl J Med 1987;317:1290-1 [letter].