Colchicine
/ˈkɒl.kɪ.siːn/noun
A toxic alkaloid used medically to treat gout and certain inflammatory conditions.
Did you know?The name comes from Colchis, the mythic Black Sea land of Medea and the Golden Fleece, because the plant source was associated with a region already soaked in Greek stories of sorcery and dangerous botanicals.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Κολχίς (Kolkhís)
“Colchis, the ancient region on the eastern Black Sea coast”
Latin
Latin
colchicum
“the autumn crocus, a poisonous plant associated with Colchis”
19th Century
French
colchicine
“the alkaloid extracted from colchicum plants”
Modern English
English
colchicine
“a toxic alkaloid used in medicine, especially for gout”
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