Colchicum helps to treat Rheumatic Diseases and Medicinal Uses

Morphology and Distribution of Colchicum:

The Biological Name of Colchicum is Colchicum luteum that belongs to the Family Liliaceae.

Corms of taro, sold in the local markets of the Azores (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Colchicum is an annual herb with brown coloured corms. The corms are in conical shape with a flat side and an roundish side. The herb consists of narrow leaves with broad tip and increases in size during fruiting stage.

Colchicum autumnale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Colchicum is grown at an altitude range of 700 to 2,800 meters and is found in the Himalayas. It is distributed in the outskirts of the forests or in open grassy places. The herb is available in the market in Ayurvedic, Unani and Homeopathic shops. The useful parts of the plant are seeds and corms.

Synonyms of Colchicum in Different Languages :

• Hindi – Harantutiya
• Sanskrit – Hiranyatutha
• English – Golden Collyrium
• Punjabi – Surinjan-e-talkh
• Urdu – Suranjanetalkh

Properties of Colchicum:

• Alterant
• Laxative
• Carminative
• Aphrodisiac

Phytochemicals present in Colchicum:

The phytochemicals which are present in the colchicum are alkaloids namely colchicine. This alkaloid is present in dried corms and seeds.

Forms of use of Colchicum:

Colchicum is used in the form of powder with a dose of 125 to 300 mg and extract with a dose of 25 to 30 mg.

Medicinal uses of Colchicum:

• The fresh corms of colchicum that are collected before the flowering season consists of the drug colchicum corm (colchicine) and the ripe dried seeds consists of the drug colchicum seed.
• The active principle in the corms is colchicine, that is very useful in treating the pain and inflammation of the gout.
• The clinical studies with a small dose of colchicum have shown success in almost half of the patients.
• The drug can also be applied externally as a paste for reducing the swelling and the pain.
• The drug is also used in the treatment of liver diseases and spleen disorders.