Effect of Colchicine on Total Antioxidant Capacity, Antioxidant Enzymes and Oxidative Stress Markers in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Background/Aim: We aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine on clinical recovery, as well as oxidative stress markers and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in whole blood of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Materials and methods: Sixty patients with grade 2 - 3 knee OA according to ACR knee OA criteria whom examination of the knee joint synovial fluid by polarized light microscopy demonstrated CPDD crystals existence were included in the study. Fifty healthy subjects were included as a control group. Patients were divided randomly into two groups. The first group (paracetamol group) was given only paracetamol 3 gr daily p.o and the second group (colchicine and paracetamol group) was given colchicine 1,5 gr and paracetamol 3 gr daily p.o for six months. For outcome measures WOMAC and VAS were used. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) ezyme activities and Glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and TAC all were measured. Results: WOMAC scores were improved in both patient groups compared with pre-treatment evaluation (p < 0.025). WOMAC morning stiffness scores were significantly more improved in colchicine group compared with paracetamol group (p > 0.05). TAC was signifcantly increased only in colchicine/paracetamol group. Oxidant parameter MDA levels were significantly decreased in both paracetamol group and colchicine/paracetamol group. CAT, SOD enzyme activities and GSH levels did not change before and after treatment protocols in both patient groups. Conclusion: Both paracetamol 3000 mg/day and 3000 mg paracetamol plus 1,5 gr/day colchicine is effective in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis. But the addition of colchicine to paracetamol produced significantly greater symptomatic benefit than paracetamol alone. Our study also showed that colchicine lowers whole blood MDA which is a lipid peroxidation compound and elevates TAC levels in patients with knee OA. This may show probable disease modifying effect of colchicine in knee OA which require further long period laboratory and radiologic investigations.