Gout patients may be familiar with colchicine: the active ingredient is found in drugs used to treat the symptoms of the metabolic disease. Now researchers want to have achieved success in the therapy of Covid 19 patients. Interesting: Colchicine occurs naturally in an ornamental plant that is also native to us – and is poisonous.
Research continues to search for a means of treating Covid-19. Smaller successes are always achieved with drugs that are already used in other areas of medicine. Their advantage: the drugs have already gone through all the test phases required for approval. They are also available quickly and in large quantities. The same is true of colchicine.
Also interesting: drug successfully tested in severe Covid 19 cases
Gout remedy from poisonous plant versatile
Colchicine occurs in the «autumn crocus», a plant that is also native to Germany. Its lilac-colored flowers are poisonous – consumption can be deadly for animals and humans. But as is so often the case here, the quantity makes the poison. In this case, the quantity made the poison a proven remedy for the gout pain attacks that are typical of the disease.
In recent years, colchicine has also become the focus of other medical fields. About cardiology. This is reported by the «Ärzteblatt». The reason for this is the anti-inflammatory effect of the substance. Inflammatory reactions are also said to play an important role in Covid-19. That is why Greek researchers have now used the drug on a trial basis in Covid 19 patients.
Also interesting: Does Covid-19 inflame all vessels in the body?
Faster recovery from Covid-19 thanks to colchicine
The «Ärzteblatt» summarizes the study currently published on the specialist portal «JAMA Network Open». It showed: Of the 105 patients in total, those who received colchicine recovered from their Covid 19 disease more quickly than the control group. Research leader Spyridon Deftereos speaks of a «conspicuous» difference between the course of the disease. However: also from a relatively small number of subjects.
Also interesting: According to the study, being overweight increases the risk of dying from Covid-19
Don’t overstate the results
It is questionable how meaningful the study really is. There is a lack of markers to objectively evaluate the course of the disease in the colchicine and control groups.
The validity of the study is also skeptical among readers of the «Ärzteblatt». They criticize that the patient cases examined must have been mild to harmless Covid 19 courses. However, what is decisive is “in addition to the general, the disease-specific mortality and, of course, the need for mechanical ventilation as primary endpoints,” it says, among other things.