Mechanism of action of colchicine. II. Effects of colchicine and its analogs on phagocytosis and chemotaxis in vitro.

Colchicine, desacetylmethylcolchicine and colchiceine suppress the phagocytosis of starch granules by rabbit peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro. Trimethylcolchicinic acid and 2-desmethylcolchicine glucoside have no effect on phagocytosis. Colchicine, at concentrations as high as 1 X 10(-4) M, has no effect on chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in response to immune complex-activated chemotactic factors or on the motility of these cells. These results do not support the contention that the suppression of phagocytosis or chemotaxis plays a significant role in the anti-inflammatory activity of colchicine.