HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION These highlights do not include all the information needed to use colchicine safely and effectively. See full prescribing information SIDE EFFECTS. Gastrointestinal disorders are the most common adverse reactions with colchicine. They are often the first signs of toxicity and may indicate that the colchicine dose needs to be reduced or therapy stopped. Find COLCRYS (colchicine, USP) dosing information, clinical data, safety data, mechanism of action, access and savings, and resources. See Important Safety Information and Prescribing Information. Each tablet contains 500 micrograms of colchicine. Excipient with known effect: One tablet contains 59 mg lactose monohydrate (see section 4.4). For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1. drugINTERACTIONS:insights and observations Pharmacy Times | May 2006 111 F ew drugs have been around as long as colchicine—it was men- Colchicine is a medication used to treat gout and Behçet's disease. In gout it is less preferred to NSAIDs or steroids. Other uses include the prevention of pericarditis and familial Mediterranean fever. Colchicine reference guide for safe and effective use from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (AHFS DI). Colchicine is used to prevent gout attacks (sudden, severe pain in one or more joints caused by abnormally high levels of a substance called uric acid in the blood) in adults, and to relieve the pain of gout attacks when they occur. SIDE EFFECTS. Gastrointestinal disorders are the most common adverse reactions with colchicine. They are often the first signs of toxicity and may indicate that the colchicine dose needs to be reduced or therapy stopped. Recent trial evidence demonstrates that low-dose colchicine (2 tablets followed by 1 tablet 1 hour later) is effective when prescribed within 12 hours of onset of an acute gout flare, with a low incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects.1 A higher dose (2 tablets followed by 1 tablet every hour for 6 hours) offered no additional clinical.