Advances in research of colchicine in cardiovascular diseases

Colchicine, a lipid-soluble alkaloid with long terminal half-life and high bioavailability, is initially used to treat and prevent acute gout and to prevent autoinflammatory diseases due to its anti-inflammatory property. Its main mechanism of action is to inhibit microtubule polymerization by binding to tubulin, thus affecting the functions of leucocytes and cytokines. With better understanding of pharmacologic properties and toxicity of colchicine, colchicine is found to be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases because of its unique anti-inflammatory property. Previous trials and studies have shown that colchicine plays a significant role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as pericarditis, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation and heart failure. In this review, we briefly review the role of colchicine in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.