Need help with Colchicine protocol for 4N

[Guido]

I have a very basic knowledge about Colchicine and here are my questions. How do I dissolve the powdered Colchicine to be used with orchids? What dilution rate I need to achieve 4N? Can it be applied to plantlets and adult plants? I know Colchicine is light sensitive then how much light is ok to work with it? Will red light still neutralize Colchicine? Do I swab or dip the plant in the Colchicine solution? How long or repeat applications are necessary? How long do I keep the treated plants under darkness? I have been thinking of using DMSO to dilute and apply Colchicine. Is that possible? Chemical reaction wise. Should you know of an academic site with Colchicine protocol please let me know. Should you have personal experience with vegetative application of Colchicine either positive or negative I would like to hear from you. Thanks for your time. Guido

[estación seca]

I never used it, but friends applied it to home-grown dicot medicinal herbs in the 1970s and early 80s. They soaked seeds they were about to sprout. In those days people working in a lab could call up Mallinckrodt in St Louis and have it sent with the next shipment of BSA and agar.

You know what colchicine does; be very careful handling it so as not to get it on you. It is true it has been used orally to treat gout in the past, but an agent capable of causing aneuploidy in mammalian cells should be treated with the utmost respect.

[Guido]

Thank you for your advise and concern. Yes, I am aware of its danger and cancer producing effects on human beings. I will be extremely careful. Thanks.

[tropterrarium]

I STRONGLY suggest that you read the MSDS and make sure you fully understand every point. Given your question, you do not have the first idea what you are getting yourself into. I really wonder how you even got hold of colchicine, that should not be available "over the counter". Read scientific articles on how it works, read books on the topic. It's all documented, I guarantee it. So find a library and do your homework.

Have you ever worked with dangerous chemicals? If not, STAY AWAY! I've worked with nasty stuff such as hexamethyldisilizane, ethyl bromide, acrylamide, osmium tetroxide, etc. No fun. You need a full scale laboratory environment including all safety equipment (extractor hood, respirator, gloves), and know how it all works, to handle it reasonably safely. Powered stuff is particularly nasty. And you need to have a safe disposal worked out for any waste. Effects on human beings is one thing, but colchicine affects all eucaryotes.

P.S. my great-great grandfather discovered colchicine.

[Guido]

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

P.S. my great-great grandfather discovered colchicine.

Sir/Madame, you are a very vociferous and pretentious person. You opened the door and now I am going to walk in and stomp all over your place.
Lets start with your claim of your great-great grandfather discovering Colchicine. Well, unless he was a doctor during the 1500's BC, ancient egypt I do not see any true on your proclamation of discovery. Then on 1820 Colchicine was first isolated by the French chemist P.S. Pelletier and J.B. Caventou.
please. read the article below and reconcile it with your family claim.
The plant source of colchicine, the autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), was described for treatment of rheumatism and swelling in the Ebers Papyrus (circa 1500 BC), an Egyptian medical papyrus.[16] Colchicum extract was first described as a treatment for gout in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, in the first century AD. Use of the bulb-like corms of Colchicum to treat gout probably dates to around 550 AD, as the "hermodactyl" recommended by Alexander of Tralles. Colchicum corms were used by the Persian physician Avicenna, and were recommended by Ambroise Pare in the 16th century, and appeared in the London Pharmacopoeia of 1618.[17] Colchicum plants were brought to North America by Benjamin Franklin, who suffered from gout himself and had written humorous doggerel about the disease during his stint as United States Ambassador to France.[18]

Colchicine was first isolated in 1820 by the French chemists P. S. Pelletier and J. B.Caventou.[19] In 1833, P.L. Geiger purified an active ingredient, which he named colchicine.[20] The determination of colchicine's structure required decades, although in 1945, Michael Dewar made an important contribution when he suggested that, among the molecule's three rings, two were seven-member rings.[21] Its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects for gout were linked to its ability to bind with tubulin.

---------- Post added at 10:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

Powered stuff is particularly nasty. And you need to have a safe disposal worked out for any waste. Effects on human beings is one thing, but colchicine affects all eucaryotes.

now, regarding your concern about Colchicine. It is a well known fact that Colchicine degrades under exposure to light and that is why it is so difficult to achieve high % rate of tetraploids mutation in orchids or plants.

"[0007] Colchicine degrades under exposure to light. Beta- and gamma- lumicolchicines are known photoisomers of colchicine (J. Nat Prod. 1988 Jan-Feb; 51(1):88- 93)"
It by no means is harmless but following proper protocol you can work with the substance.
While in the military I worked with atomic radioactive materials, chemical warfare agents and explosives does that make me an atomic, chemical or explosive eminence? NO, I just followed proper protocol when handling the materials, thats all.
Finally, what makes you think I will not have access to a lab and a professor with a master in biology?

---------- Post added at 11:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 PM ----------

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

I STRONGLY suggest that you read the MSDS and make sure you fully understand every point. Given your question, you do not have the first idea what you are getting yourself into.

Now, if you are somewhat familiar with the MSDS you should know I will not find the answers to my questions there. I know what I want to achieve. I have the chemical. I have the facilities, I have a biologist interested in participating with the project. What we are lacking is the protocol. Your dim witted suggestion of going to the library is infantile. I have researched all kind of faculty level journals, papers, experiment but none give the detailed answers I am seeking. Finally if you do not have any positive input for this enterprise keep quite or stay away.
I AM LOOKING FOR FACTUAL INFORMATION ONLY. I do not need hearsay or negative inputs. Guido.

P.S. Sorry for being blunt but I totally dislike ignorance accompanied by arrogance.