Colchicine is an orally active natural alkaloid that acts by inhibiting microtubule polymerization (IC50 = 3 nM) and as a competitive antagonist of the α3 glycine receptor. It possesses broad anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and antifibrotic activities, can inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation to prevent NSAID-induced small intestine injury, holds potential for gouty arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis research, and is commonly used to establish Alzheimer’s disease models.

Thiocolchicoside (Thiocolchicine 2-glucoside analog) (Muscoril, Myoril, Neoflax) is a muscle relaxant with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. It acts as a competitive GABAA receptor antagonist and also glycine receptor antagonist with similar potency and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to a much lesser extent. It has powerful convulsant activity and should not be used in seizure-prone individuals.