Colchicine Drug Interactions
With most medications, it is important to consult with a physician to determine if there are any possible interactions or side effects with other drugs a person is taking. There are a variety of medications that can produce serious side effects when consumed with colchicine, and some of them include the following:
- Aspirin
- Clopine
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Baycol
- Posicor
- Prevpac
Simvastatin and Lipitor may also adversely interact with Colchicine. These statin drugs are used to control high cholesterol and when taken with colchicine, they may cause increased drug absorption and decreased excretion to occur. The interaction between Colchicine and these statins has been associated with reports of muscle weakness and high levels of creatine kinase. Mitochondrial damage and toxic vacuolization may also occur.
Food Interactions
Patients that take colchicine are told to generally avoid grapefruit juice. When taken with grapefruit juice, an increase in serum concentrations may be experienced. Toxicity including neuropathy, multi-organ failure, myopathy, and pancytopenia may then occur. Circulatory shock can also occur if this medication is taken with high levels of grapefruit juice. Patients that ingest grapefruit juice while taking Colchicine should contact their doctor immediately if they experience any one of the following side effects:
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Asthenia
- Numbness
- Myalgia
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
