The effect of colchicine treatment on sperm production and function: a review

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 360 - 362
• Main Authors: Halmov-Kocliman, Ronit, Ben-Chetrit, Eldad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.02.1998
• Subjects: azoospermia; Behcet Syndrome - drug therapy; Behcet's disease; Biological and medical sciences; colchicine; Colchicine - adverse effects; Familial Mediterranean Fever - drug therapy; Female; Fertility - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gout; Gout - drug therapy; Humans; Male; Mammalian male genital system; Morphology. Physiology; Oligospermia - chemically induced; oligozoospermia; polyserositis; Pregnancy; recurrent; Sperm Motility - drug effects; Spermatogenesis - drug effects; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - pathology; Spermatozoa - physiology; Vertebrates: reproduction; azoospermia; oligozoospermia; gout; Behcet's disease; colchicine; polyserositis; recurrent; Human; Spermatozoa; Spermatogenesis; Toxicity; Gout; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Metabolic diseases; Review; Uric acid; Germinal cell; Semen disorders; Oligospermia; Hyperuricemia; Azoospermia; Production; Male sterility; Male genital diseases
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/13.2.360

Colchicine Is used for tie treatment of various diseases Including gouty arthritis, familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and Behcet's disease. As a modulator of tie microtubules at the cytoskeleton level, it arrests cell division at metaphase and inhibits microtebelar-dependent cell motility. Controversy exists as to the adverse effect of colchicine on sperm production and function in healthy subjects as well as In gout, FMF and Behcet's patients. Sperm analysis shows a spectrum of pathology, from oligo-and azoospermia to normospermia with disturbances in sperm motility. These inconsistent sperm pathologies cam be explained in part by the variability of the pathophysiology of the underlying disease. Thus, it seems that colchicine by itself may not have a significant direct adverse effect on sperm production and function.