Ergot preparation

From the ascopores (perfect stage) of germinating sclerotia. 

From the conidia ( perfect or sphacelial stage, the honey-dew of rye infection). 

From bits of tissue taken from the inner portion of matured (but living) sclerotia, the ergot of commerce. 

The first two methods are of course strictly seasonal due to the fact that they depend upon the growing rye, while the last method can be used at any time when living sclerotia can be obtained. Since it is possible to secure such sclerotia alive and active in the field each summer, it will be seen that by the third method cultures of the fungus are always available. 

Other media capable of sustaining growth of Claviceps purpurea are given below  

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Scientific knowledge concerning histamine has developed in stages since it was first synthesized in 1907 (1 ). It was isolated from an ergot preparation by Barger and Dale in 1910 ( ) and its dramatic pharmacological effects demonstrated. Dale then established that histamine was a normal constitutent of mammalian tissue and widely distributed throughout the human body ( ). 

It is an ergot preparation which has a specific dopamine receptor agonist action (acts mainly on receptors) and capable of crossing the blood brain barrier. It is less active than levodopa and used only in late cases as a supplement to levodopa. Adverse effects are vomiting hallucinations, hypotension, nasal stuffiness. 

Fixed dose combinations of crude ergot preparations except those containing ergotamine, caffeine, analgesics, antihistamines for the treatment of migraine, headache. 

Iatrogenic ergot toxicity caused by excessive use of medical ergot preparations is still frequently reported. 

Ergono vine is a naturally occurring, water-soluble ergot alkaloid, found in both ergot preparations and in many species of morning glory seeds, and there are... 

Thus, the necessity of obtaining an ergot preparation for the treatment... 

The examination of the ergot-preparation called Sensibamin, which possesses in chloroform the optical rotation of [a]30°/D=+125°, has shown that this preparation can easily be separated by means of the chromatographic method into a dextro- and a levorotary fraction. The levorotary fraction obtained thereby contains ergotamin, whereas the dextrorotary fraction contains ergotaminin. 

McCrea, A. Ergot Preparation and Progress of Obtaining Same 1936, US 2,050,360... 

In 1914, Dale defined two subdivisions of the parasympathetic nervous system when he observed that ethers and esters (including acetylcholine) of choline produced effects similar to those of muscarine (muscarinic effects) or nicotine (nicotinic effects) (2). The initial experiments were performed using an ergot extract contaminated with acetylcholine, although Dale was unaware of this contamination. Ewins, a chemist who collaborated with Dale, isolated acetylcholine from the ergot extract and subsequently synthesized acetylcholine, thus allowing Dale to show that the unexpected muscarinic effects observed with the ergot preparation were the result of acetylcholine. He proposed the term "parasympathomimetic" to describe ... 

Kharasch, M.S. and Legaul, R.R. (1935) Ergotocin the active principle of ergot responsible for the oral effectiveness of some ergot preparations on human uteri. /. Am. Chem. Soc., 57, 956-957. 

Production of most desired ergot substances, e.g. elymoclavine, paspalic acid and lysergol, used mainly for semisynthetic ergot preparatives, is rather complicated. Bioconversion of their precursors may improve the effectivity of their preparation. 

Flieger, M., Sedmera, R., Vokoun, J., Rehacek, Z., Stuchlik, J. and Cerny, A. (1984b) Liquid chromatography of semisynthetic ergot preparations. I. Nicergoline. f. Chromatogr., 284, 219-225. 

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