Mechanism of Vitamin B₁₂Malabsorption in Patients Receiving Colchicine

Effect of colchicine on intestinal disaccharidases: correlation with biochemical aspects of cellular renewal

“…Diarrhea is a frequent side effect of colchicine therapy, and depression of intestinal disaccharidase activities and decreased absorption of xylose, fat, and vitamin BI2 have been noted in man (11,28). Decreased absorption of simple sugars as well as depressed activity of intestinal maltase have been demonstrated in rats after three daily injections of colchicine (1 mg/kg) (12,13).…”

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Gastric Changes Following Colchicine Therapy in Patients with FMF

“…Colchicine's effects at the cellular level are attributed to its ability to bind tubulin and inhibit polymerisation into microtubules, thereby affecting cellular processes such as degranulation, chemotaxis, or mitosis [12,13]. Colchicine affects any rapidly proliferating tissue and the patient on colchicine may experience varying degrees of alopecia, bone marrow suppression, or acute renal failure [14,15]. Gastrointestinal side effects related to colchicine are usually acute abdominal pain and diarrhoea and, in the extreme, these may lead to a cholera-like syndrome associated with dehydration and shock [16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

Colchicine resistance and low vitamin D in familial Mediterranean fever

“…4 Previous studies showed that colchicine might induce reversible vitamin B12 malabsorption by altering the function of ileal mucosa, but not by intestinal hypermotility. 5 However, to date, no study has investigated whether colchicine causes intestinal malabsorption of vitamin D.…”