Colchicine and Ciprofibrate: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 2, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Colchicine
Ciprofibrate
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Both of these medicines can be hard on your muscles. Colchicine (used for gout) and ciprofibrate (used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides) each carry a small risk of muscle problems on their own. Taking them together may add up and raise the chance of muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. In rare cases this can lead to a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis, where muscle breaks down.
This is more of a caution than a certainty, and your care team can manage it. The most important thing is to watch how your muscles feel. If you notice new or unusual muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness, especially soon after starting, call your pharmacist or doctor. Keep taking both as prescribed unless they tell you otherwise.
Effect: Additive risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, with concomitant colchicine and ciprofibrate (a fibrate).
- Mechanism: Unknown; likely additive myotoxicity rather than a defined PK interaction. Neither agent is a prodrug relevant here.
- Direction/severity: Increased muscle toxicity risk; rated major but evidence is theoretical (case reports).
- Risk factors: Elderly patients and renal impairment.
- Management: Weigh benefit vs risk. CPK monitoring may not prevent severe myopathy, so monitor clinically for muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly at initiation and during colchicine dose titration. Individualize dosing per care team.
What happens
An increased risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis
Interaction Deep Dive
Exercise caution2. Taking colchicine together with fibrates can raise the likelihood of myopathy, such as rhabdomyolysis, particularly among older individuals and those with impaired renal function. When combined therapy is required, checking creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels may fail to avert the onset of a serious myopathy, so the patient should be watched closely for indications of myopathy (muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness), especially during treatment 1. Instances of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have been documented when colchicine is used alongside fibrates. Weigh whether the advantage of combining colchicine with fenofibrate justifies the heightened risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Should combined use be chosen, observe patients for myopathy signs and symptoms while the colchicine dose is being titrated upward 3.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Unknown
How to manage this interaction
You can usually take these together safely with a little extra attention. Your care team will decide whether the benefit of using both outweighs the muscle risk, and may tailor your colchicine dose and watch you more closely, especially when starting or increasing it.
- Keep taking both exactly as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you to change.
- Report any muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness right away, particularly in the first weeks.
- Let your team know if you have kidney problems or are older, as risk may be higher.
- Ask your pharmacist before adding any new medicines.
Note: blood tests (CPK) alone may not catch a problem early, so how your muscles feel matters most.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
2 reports — tap to read
a) Instances of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have been described when colchicine is used together with fenofibrate 32.
b) A 40-year-old man who had been maintained on colchicine 0.5 mg orally every 8 hours for roughly 3 years developed rhabdomyolysis after gemfibrozil 600 mg every 12 hours was added to his regimen. His medical background included amyloidosis, chronic liver disease related to hepatitis B, nephrotic syndrome, and hypertriglyceridemia. He presented for admission with fatigue, loss of appetite, dark-colored urine, and muscle pain that had persisted for 2 weeks. Notable laboratory values were creatine kinase (CK) of 3559 Units/L (normal 26 to 174 Units/L), urea 108 (normal 10 to 50 mg/dL), creatinine 2.6 (normal 0.7 to 1.5 mg/dL), ALT 165 (normal 10 to 42 Units/L), AST 232 (normal 10 to 42 Units/L), LDH 450 (normal 42 to 128 Units/L), and potassium 6.0 (normal 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L). All of his medications (he had also been taking essential amino acid tablets and calcitriol) were stopped, he was adequately hydrated, and he then improved by day 4. His muscle pain stabilized by day 9. Colchicine and the amino acids were resumed and the patient was discharged 4.
Common questions
Can I take Colchicine and Ciprofibrate together?
Combining colchicine and ciprofibrate may increase the risk of muscle injury, so watch closely for muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness and report it to your care team, especially when starting or increasing colchicine. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Colchicine and Ciprofibrate interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Colchicine and Ciprofibrate interaction managed?
You can usually take these together safely with a little extra attention. Your care team will decide whether the benefit of using both outweighs the muscle risk, and may tailor your colchicine dose and watch you more closely, especially when starting or increasing it. Keep taking both exactly as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you to change. Report any muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Colchicine or Ciprofibrate need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (4)
- Product Information: COLCRYS oral tablets, colchicine oral tablets. Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc (per FDA), Deerfield, IL, 2020. DailyMed
- Product Information: TRILIPIX oral delayed-release capsules, fenofibric acid oral delayed-release capsules. AbbVie Inc (per FDA), North Chicago, IL, 2021. DailyMed
- Product Information: TRIGLIDE(R) oral tablets, fenofibrate oral tablets. Casper Pharma LLC (per FDA), East Brunswick, NJ, 2024. DailyMed
- Atmaca H, Sayarlioglu H, Kulah E, et al: Rhabdomyolysis associated with gemfibrozil-colchicine therapy. Ann Pharmacother 2002; 36(11):1719-1721. PubMed
Keep reading about Colchicine
Keep reading about Ciprofibrate
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist