Abstract
The microtubule inhibitor and anti-inflammatory agent colchicine is used to treat
a range of conditions involving inflammasome activation in monocytes and neutrophils,
and is now known to prevent coronary and cerebrovascular events. In vitro studies
dating back more than 50 years showed a direct effect of colchicine on platelets,
but as little contemporary attention has been paid to this area, we have critically
reviewed the effects of colchicine on diverse aspects of platelet biology in vitro
and in vivo. In this systematic review we searched Embase, Medline, and PubMed for
articles testing platelets after incubation with colchicine and/or reporting a clinical
effect of colchicine treatment on platelet function, including only papers available
in English and excluding reviews and conference abstracts. We identified 98 relevant
articles and grouped their findings based on the type of study and platelet function
test. In vitro, colchicine inhibits traditional platelet functions, including aggregation,
clotting, degranulation, and platelet-derived extracellular vesicle formation, although
many of these effects were reported at apparently supraphysiological concentrations.
Physiological concentrations of colchicine inhibit collagen- and calcium ionophore-induced
platelet aggregation and internal signaling. There have been limited studies of in
vivo effects on platelets. The colchicine-platelet interaction has the potential to
contribute to colchicine-mediated reduction in cardiovascular events, but there is
a pressing need for high quality clinical research in this area.
Keywords
colchicine - inflammation - platelets
