COLCHICINE AND POST-INFLAMMATORY ADHESIONS IN A RABBIT MODEL - A DOSE-RESPONSE STUDY

Objective: To determine the dose-response relationship of colchicine i n reducing inflammatory adhesive disease secondary to Neisseria gonorr hoeae in the rabbit. Methods: Following intrauterine inoculation of a suspension of N gonorrhoeae, the rabbits were divided into five groups of 11 rabbits each. The control group received no medications. The re maining four groups received 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg, respectively, of c olchicine intramuscularly daily for 14 days. The day after the last in jection of colchicine, the peritoneal cavity was explored and assessed for the presence, number, and grade of adhesions. Results: With incre asing doses of colchicine, the incidence of adhesions decreased. A lin ear model (log [dose + 0.5]) showed, however, that as the dose of colc hicine increased, the response tended to plateau (P < .05). Conclusion : In this model, colchicine was effective in preventing inflammatory a dhesions in the rabbit. Increasing doses produced a greater effect in reducing adhesion formation. However, there was a plateau of the respo nse at the 1-mg dose.