Colchicine Reduces Lung Injury in Experimental Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by intense dysregulated inflammation leading to lung injury and respiratory failure. We studied the effects of colchicine pre-treatment on oleic acid-induced ARDS in rats. Colchicine reduced histological lung injury by 61%, reduced lung edema, and markedly improved blood oxygenation by increasing PaO2/FiO2 from 66 ± 13 mmHg (mean ± SEM) to 246 ± 45 mmHg. Lung neutrophil recruitment was reduced by colchicine with evidence for reduced neutrophils activation, as assessed by flow cytometry. This study strongly supports the clinical development of colchicine, a widely available low-cost drug, for the prevention of ARDS in conditions causing acute lung injury.