Abstract
Colchicine is a tricyclic alkaloid extracted from the herbaceous plant Colchicum autumnale. Known since antiquity for its therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of gout, colchicine was reintroduced in 19th century pharmacopeia, thanks to the work of the French chemists and pharmacists Pierre-Joseph Pelletier (1788-1842) and Joseph Bienaimé Caventou (1795-1877) who in 1819, isolated a peculiar substance in the roots of Colchicum autumnale. In 1833, the substance was further analyzed by the German pharmacist and chemist Philipp Lorenz Geiger (1785-1836), who coined the name colchicine. In 1884, the French pharmacist Alfred Houde (1854-1919) produced for the first time pure crystallized colchicine in granules of 1milligram which is still sold under this trade name in several countries. In the last two centuries, colchicine's indications were furthermore expanded. From anti-gout drug during antiquity and a diuretic in 19th century, colchicine is currently administered in several affections such as Adamantiades-Behcet's disease, familial Mediterranean fever, pericarditis and atrial fibrillation.
Keywords: Colchicum, pierre-joseph pelletier, joseph bienaimé caventou, history of pharmacology, gout, atrial fibrillation.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Isolating Colchicine in 19th Century: An Old Drug Revisited
Volume: 24 Issue: 6
Author(s): Marianna Karamanou*, Gregory Tsoucalas, Konstantinos Pantos and George Androutsos
Affiliation:
- University Institute of History of Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne,Switzerland
Keywords: Colchicum, pierre-joseph pelletier, joseph bienaimé caventou, history of pharmacology, gout, atrial fibrillation.
Abstract: Colchicine is a tricyclic alkaloid extracted from the herbaceous plant Colchicum autumnale. Known since antiquity for its therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of gout, colchicine was reintroduced in 19th century pharmacopeia, thanks to the work of the French chemists and pharmacists Pierre-Joseph Pelletier (1788-1842) and Joseph Bienaimé Caventou (1795-1877) who in 1819, isolated a peculiar substance in the roots of Colchicum autumnale. In 1833, the substance was further analyzed by the German pharmacist and chemist Philipp Lorenz Geiger (1785-1836), who coined the name colchicine. In 1884, the French pharmacist Alfred Houde (1854-1919) produced for the first time pure crystallized colchicine in granules of 1milligram which is still sold under this trade name in several countries. In the last two centuries, colchicine's indications were furthermore expanded. From anti-gout drug during antiquity and a diuretic in 19th century, colchicine is currently administered in several affections such as Adamantiades-Behcet's disease, familial Mediterranean fever, pericarditis and atrial fibrillation.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Karamanou Marianna*, Tsoucalas Gregory, Pantos Konstantinos and Androutsos George, Isolating Colchicine in 19th Century: An Old Drug Revisited, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2018; 24 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612824666180115105850
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612824666180115105850 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
![](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Bentham Author Support Services (BASS)
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
FDG-PET in Tuberculosis
Current Molecular Imaging (Discontinued) Vascular Toxicity of Chemotherapeutic Agents
Current Vascular Pharmacology Atypical Manifestations of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Children: A Systematic Review
Current Pediatric Reviews The Spatial QRS-T Angle: Implications in Clinical Practice
Current Cardiology Reviews Single Photon Emission Tomography in the Diagnostic Assessment of Cardiac and Vascular Infectious Diseases
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Adjunctive Immunotherapy of Mycobacterial Infections
Current Pharmaceutical Design Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma: Review of Conventional Treatments
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Drug Discoveries Towards Kv1.5 Potassium Channel
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry New Perspectives of Infections in Cardiovascular Disease
Current Cardiology Reviews Inhibition of Interleukin-1 in the Treatment of Selected Cardiovascular Complications
Current Reviews in Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Colchicine, Biologic Agents and More for the Treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever. The Old, the New, and the Rare
Current Medicinal Chemistry The HLA Region and Autoimmune Disease: Associations and Mechanisms of Action
Current Genomics Helminth Infections and Cardiovascular Diseases: Toxocara Species is Contributing to the Disease
Current Cardiology Reviews Drug Induced Cutaneous Manifestations due to Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders
Current Drug Metabolism Influenza and Stroke Risk: A Key Target Not to be Missed?
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets Cardiotoxicity of Molecularly Targeted Agents
Current Cardiology Reviews Use of Non-Selective Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Relation to Cardiovascular Events. A Systematic Pharmacoepidemiological Review
Current Vascular Pharmacology Pleiotropic Effects of Simvastatin on Some Calcium Regulatory and Myofibrillar Proteins in Ischemic/Reperfused Heart: Causality of Statins Cardioprotection?
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Role of Colchicine in Pericardial Syndromes
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Role of the Metabolism of Anticancer Drugs in Their Induced-Cardiotoxicity
Current Drug Metabolism