COLCHICINE

n. Ko2l'ki2s-en. Lat., col chic in a, colchicinum [Austr. Ph., Hung. Ph., Ru . Ph.], colchicia. Fr.,c. Ger., Colchicin. It., Sp., col chic in a. The active principle of colchicum; an alkaloid, Ci7H18NO6 [Carter], occurring as a light-yellow amorphous substance having a faint odor and an intensely bitter taste, sparingly soluble in ether, readily soluble in alcohol and water, its aqueous solution undergoing spontaneous decomposition into resin and colchiceine. It is present in the official fluid extract of colchicum. [B, 5 (a, 24).] [s. 340]