Herbal remedy for gout Colchicum

Herbal remedy for gout Colchicum

One of the most ancient treatments for gout is colchicum. For more than five hundred years, the corm of the autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale

L. of the family Liliaceae, has been used as a specific treatment to alleviate the inflammation associated with gout. Then, about 175 years ago, colchi- cum seeds began to be utilized for the same purpose. In 1820, the active principle, colchicine, was first isolated, and in the intervening years, it has replaced the herb (corm and seed) as the dosage form of choice.

In therapeutic doses, colchicine displays a number of unpleasant side effects; in large doses, it is quite toxic. 22 As a result, neither it nor the plant material containing it is available for over-the-counter acquisition. It will not be discussed further here.

Chapter nine: Arthritic and musculoskeletal disorders 175

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chapter ten

Problems of the skin, mucous membranes, and gingiva