Claviceps paspali Cultivation

Cultivation of Claviceps paspali Alkaloid Derivatives of Lysergic Acids... 

The artificial virulentation occurred as follows. Strain F. 97 was isolated from sclerotia grown on plants of Paspalum distichum, collected at Tivoli (Rome) and identified and classified as Claviceps paspali Stevens and Hall. Embryos of Rosen 4 n rye were inoculated, before germination, with the strain F. 97 and then cultivated in vitro. The new virulented subspecies were isolated from sclerotia obtained on said embryos. 

As regards the production of alkaloid derivatives of lysergic acid, the present invention is not limited to the use of the described strains, but comprises also the mutants thereof, which may be obtained, e.g., by means of either a selection or a mutation by the action of U.V. rays or Roentgen rays or any other mutagenous substance or, particularly, by artificial infection of either embryos or grasses cultivated in vitro or plants of grasses cultivated both in vivo or in vitro and the said mutants are to be included in the definition of a new strain of Claviceps paspali Stevens and Hall. 

The process is carried out in 500 mL. flasks containing 100 mL. of a suitable nutrient medium. The flasks are shaken by a rotary shaker (200 revolutions/minute eccentric throw 10 cm.). The optimal incubation temperature is at 27° C. The relative moisture is 85-90%. The cultivation is carried out in the dark. A flask is inoculated with the mycelium which is obtained from a 10 days culture in potato-glucose-agar of one of the above-described new strains of Claviceps paspali Stevens and Hall. The nutrient medium is the following ... 

The process of the invention, therefore, for the production of lysergic acid derivatives comprises cultivating the strain of Claviceps paspali Stevens and Hall, NRRL 3027, in a nutrient medium and isolating lysergic acid derivatives from the said medium. 

Ergot has been used medicinally since the 1500s. Most of that used is from cultivated ergot. About 12,000 kg per year is produced for a total value of about 50 million. Ergot alkaloids are produced parasitically on rye, in saprophytic culture (usually with Claviceps paspali), or by partial or total chemical synthesis. 

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