colchicine

[ kol-chuh-seen, -sin, kol-kuh- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Pharmacology.

a pale yellow, crystalline alkaloid, C 22 H 25 NO 6 , the active principle of colchicum.

colchicine

/ -sɪn; ˈkɒlkɪ-; ˈkɒltʃɪˌsiːn /

a pale-yellow crystalline alkaloid extracted from seeds or corms of the autumn crocus. It is used in the treatment of gout and to create polyploid plants by inhibiting chromosome separation during meiosis. Formula: C 22 H 25 NO 6

First recorded in 1850–55; colchic(um) + -ine ²

C19: from colchicum + -ine ²

It is much stronger than the common extract, and contains the acetate of colchicine.

These reagents precipitate colchicine, but do not affect solutions of digitaline or picrotoxine.

Casper puts the lethal dose of colchicine at from 25 to 30 mgrms.

By cautious evaporation colchicine will be deposited, and maybe purified by re-solution and crystallisation in alcohol.

It is, therefore, evident that there are in man no constant pathological changes from colchicine poisoning.

April 20, 2024flabbergast

[flab-er-gast ]

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