Colchicine is a medication most commonly used to treat gout. It is a toxic natural product and secondary metabolite, originally extracted from plants of the genus Colchicum (autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale, also known as "meadow saffron").
In addition to gout, colchicine is used to treat familial Mediterranean fever, pericarditis, and Behet's disease. Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron or naked lady, is a flower that resembles the true crocuses, but blooms in autumn. The name "naked lady" comes from the fact that the flowers emerge from the ground long after the leaves have died back. The species is commonly cultivated as an ornamental in temperate areas, in spite of its toxicity.