colchicine vs itraconazole
Side-by-side comparison of colchicine and itraconazole. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
Miscellaneous Drugs and Other Substances Colchicine Patients with renal or hepatic impairment: Contraindicated during and 2 weeks after itraconazole treatment.
Recommendation: If you have kidney or liver disease, do not take these together and wait two weeks after stopping itraconazole before using colchicine.
Colcrys, Mitigare
Sporanox
Colchicine is a medicine used to prevent or treat gout flares and Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). It works by reducing inflammation and pain.
Itraconazole capsules are an antifungal medicine. They treat fungal infections in your body.
Colchicine is used to prevent and treat gout flares in adults. Gout flares cause sudden, severe pain, redness, and swelling in your joints. Colchicine is also used to treat Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) in adults and children ages 4 and older. FMF causes recurring fevers and pain in the abdomen, chest, or joints.
Itraconazole treats fungal infections like blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, and aspergillosis. It can help both people with healthy immune systems and those with weakened immune systems. It also treats onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails.
Colchicine reduces inflammation in the body. It does this by blocking certain processes that cause swelling and pain. This helps to relieve gout flares and manage FMF symptoms.
Itraconazole stops fungi from growing. It does this by interfering with the production of a substance fungi need to build their cell membranes. This eventually kills the fungus and clears the infection.
- • Diarrhea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Nausea
- • Rash
- • Headache
- Diarrhea 2,661
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,940
- Feeling very tired 1,745
- Difficulty breathing 1,466
- Sudden damage to the kidneys 1,436
- Interaction with another medicine 1,118
- Fever 570
- Difficulty breathing 472
- Lung infection 462
- Feeling sick to your stomach 446
Taking too much colchicine can be fatal in both adults and children. Keep this medicine out of the reach of children. Colchicine can also cause serious blood problems and muscle weakness. Certain medicines can interact with colchicine and cause life-threatening problems. Talk to your doctor about all the medicines you take.
Itraconazole can cause congestive heart failure. You should not take this medicine if you have heart problems. Itraconazole can also interact with many other medicines. Some of these interactions can be dangerous or even fatal. Check with your doctor about all the medicines you take.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Colchicine may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if colchicine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking colchicine while breastfeeding.
You should not take itraconazole if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about safe alternatives.
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How to Read This colchicine vs itraconazole Comparison
colchicine is classified in the Anti-Gout Agent drug class, while itraconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, colchicine has 9,248 submissions while itraconazole has 3,068. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to in people with liver or kidney issues, itraconazole prevents the body from removing colchicine, which can lead to dangerous side effects.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between colchicine and itraconazole - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.