Colchicine enhances β adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilation in men with essential hypertension.

Preclinical studies in isolated rodent arteries have shown that colchicine can enhance β adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilation. Here we show that this effect of colchicine can be translated to humans. Acute colchicine treatment was found to increase both isoprenaline- and sodium nitroprusside-induced vasodilation. The study provides the first translational evidence for a transient β adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilatory effect of colchicine in humans. The finding of an acute effect suggests that it may be clinically important to maintain an adequate bioavailability of colchicine.