ERGOT

ûrˈgət, disease of rye and other cereals caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea. The cottony, matlike body, or mycelium, of the fungus develops in the ovaries of the host plant; it eventually turns into a hard pink or purple body, the sclerotium, or ergot, that resembles a grain of rye in shape. The sclerotium contains alkaloids (many of which are biologically active) that are toxic to humans and livestock. Ergot poisoning, or ergotism, epidemic in the Middle Ages, results from eating bread made of rye contaminated with ergot. Ergot poisoning is characterized by constriction of blood vessels, resulting in numbness and the development of gangrene in extremities; it may also affect the nervous system. Some of the alkaloids in ergot, e.g., ergotamine and ergonovine, are used as medicines; these alkaloids are chemical derivatives of lysergic acid, which is used in the synthesis of the hallucinogen LSD. Ergotamine alleviates migraine headaches. Ergonovine is used medicinally to stop hemorrhage and cause contraction of the uterus; during the 17th cent. midwives used ergot to stop postpartum uterine bleeding.

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The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved.

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Questia Books and Articles on: Ergot
We found: 400 results
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books on: Ergot  - 289 results

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1.
Dictionary of Bio-Chemistry and Related Subjects
Book by William Marias Malisoff; Philosophical Library, 1943
Subjects: Biochemistry--Dictionaries
ERGOCRISTINE See Ergot. ERGOCRISTININE See Ergot. ERGOMETRINE See Ergot. ERGOMETRININE See Ergot. ERGOMONAMINE See Ergot. ERGONOVINE Ergometrine. See Ergot. ERGOSINE See Ergot. ERGOSINNINE See Ergot. ERGOSTEROL C 28 H 44 O; m.p. 163...
2.
The War of the Soups and the Sparks: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute over How Nerves Communicate
Book by Elliot S. Valenstein; Columbia University Press, 2005
Subjects: Neural Transmission--History, Neurotransmitters--History
...to be any written accounts of the use of ergot for medicinal pur- poses during the Middle...of its properties were known earlier. Ergot poisoning was recog- nized, and there are reports of seizures caused by consuming ergot. Epidemics caused by ergot poisoning were...
3.
Drugs and Society - Vol. 3
Book by Marshall Cavendish; Marshall Cavendish Reference, 2006
Subjects: Drug Abuse, Drugs Of Abuse, Pharmacology
...several hallucinogenic chemicals called ergot alkaloids, C>f these psychoactive aikatoKis...which are closely related t`> I.SD. Ergot all;aloids naturally occur in several...the beginning of the twentieth centtn\. Ergot t illol,c commonly known as ergot, is...
4.
The Poison Paradox: Chemicals as Friends and Foes
Book by John Timbrell; Oxford University Press, 2005
Subjects: Poisons, Poisons--Physiological Effect, Toxicology
Ergot Ergot is a fungus that grows on crops like rye, wheat, oats, and barley and can be recognized as a black growth (ergot is French for rooster spur). The fungus, of which Claviceps purpurea...
5.
The Food Safety Information Handbook
Book by Cynthia A. Roberts; Oryx Press, 2001
Subjects: Food Adulteration And Inspection, Food Contamination
...individuals at once. Rye is particularly susceptible to ergot contamination. Cold and damp growing or storage conditions also promote the formation of ergot. Ergot is the source of lysergic acid diethylamide LSD ; it and...
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journal articles on: Ergot  - 38 results

       More journal Results: 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-38 >>  
 
1.
Jewish Mystical Movements and the European Ergot Epidemics / Commentary
Journal article by Sharon Packer, Boaz Huss, Eliezer Witztum; The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, Vol. 35, 1998
...pharmacologically-active ergot alkaloids, each...properties. All of these ergots stimulate the brains...repercussion of ergots vasoconstrictive...abdominal pain (31). Ergot compounds are also...everything was ergotism. Ergot toxicity tends to...diseases, and because ergots effects are enhanced...
2.
Science, Politics, and the Regulation of Dietary Supplements: It's Time to Repeal Dshea
Journal article by Peter J. Cohen; American Journal of Law and Medicine, Vol. 31, 2005
Subjects: Dietary supplements, Federal legislation, Politics, Regulation, Science
...benefits may cause severe reaction or even death. Ergot derivatives have important uses in obstetrics;114 however, ergot can lead to major toxicity if used incorrectly: The dramatic effect of ergot ingested during pregnancy has been recognized...
3.
Scary Food
Journal article by Henry I. Miller, Gregory Conko; Policy Review, 2006
Subjects: Consumers--Health aspects, Food contamination--Control, Food contamination--Health aspects, Food safety--Management, Food safety--Standards, Food--Biotechnology, Food--Health aspects, Food--Management, Food--Safety and security measures, Food--Standards, Genetically engineered foods--Health aspects
...epidemics caused by the contamination of rye with ergot, a poisonous fungus. Ergot contains the potent toxin ergotamine, the consumption...notorious 1691-92 Salem witch trials also relates to ergot contamination. Three young girls suffered violent...
4.
Illegal Operations: Women, Doctors, and Abortion, 1886-1939
Journal article by Angus Mclaren; Journal of Social History, Vol. 26, 1993
Subjects: Abortion--Social aspects, British Columbia--Social aspects
...and emmenagogues as quinine, aloes, or ergot; the third, douching by syringe or enema...trial a druggist described the policing of ergot and savin: "They both come under Schedule...herself several weeks late went to buy ergot pills, "Mrs. Sumners Remedies," and...
5.
Conning the Iadc Newsletters
Journal article; Defense Counsel Journal, Vol. 72, 2005
Subjects: Drugs, Federal courts, Litigation, Newsletters, Obesity, Surgery, Torts, United States
...rather claiming that bromocriptine was an ergot alkaloid, which had been shown to have...different chemical structure than other ergot alkaloids known to cause vasoconstriction...assumption that bromocriptine behaves like other ergot alkaloids carries little scientific value...
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magazine articles on: Ergot  - 50 results

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1.
The Road to Eleusis
Magazine article by Dale Pendell; Whole Earth, Summer 1999
Subjects: Books--Reviews, Unveiling the Secret of the Mysteries (Book)--Reviews
...Carl A. P. Ruck collaborate here to propose that ergot was the secret of the kykeon drunk at the Eleusinian...give this book the hearing it deserves. "We analyzed ergot of wheat and ergot of barley in our laboratory and they were found to...
2.
Headache: Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapy
Magazine article by W. Marvin Davis; Drug Topics, Vol. 140, April 8, 1996
Subjects: Analgesics, Certification, Continuing education, Diagnostics, Headaches, Health hazards, Medical research, Pharmacists, Studies, United States
...Some conditions contraindicate the use of ergot compounds because of the potential for...offers a departure from treatment with ergot products alone, for which there is a potential...anatomical site of the therapeutic action of ergot alkaloids in migraine remains uncertain...
3.
Headaches: Unknown Causes, Uncertain Cures
Magazine article by Annabel Hecht; FDA Consumer, Vol. 18, May 1984
Subjects: Headache--Case studies, Migraine--Diagnosis, Pain--Causes of
...a mild attack, if given early enough. Ergot alkaloids may be prescribed for acute attacks...painkilling or sedative effects, however. Ergot is available as a single ingredient in...and relax the patient. Brand names of ergot preparations include Cafergot, Cafergot...
4.
Pharmacotherapies for the Management of Parkinson's Disease
Magazine article by John A. Schetz; Drug Topics, Vol. 145, October 1, 2001
Subjects: Aging, Disease management, Guidelines, Parkinsons disease, Pharmaceuticals, United States
...receptor agonists are utilized, such as ergot alkaloids (bromocriptine and pergolide...L-DOPA usually do not respond well to ergot alkaloid dopamine receptor agonists, either. Both bromocriptine and pergolide are ergot alkaloids. Pergolide is less selective...
5.
Parkinson's Disease: a Review
Magazine article by Day M. Scott, Dana A. Brown; Drug Topics, Vol. 153, August 2009
Subjects: Drug dosages, Drug therapy, Parkinsons disease, Patient safety, United States
...class of medications can be divided into two categories: ergot derivatives (bromocriptine and pergolide) and non-ergot derivatives (pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine).The ergot derivatives have fallen out of favor, mainly because...
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newspaper articles on: Ergot  - 12 results

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1.
Rain Brings Fungal Risks
Newspaper article; Daily Examiner (Grafton, Australia), May 22, 2009
Subjects: Livestock
...a report on the North Coast of high levels of ergot infestation in sorghum. Sorghum ergot is caused by a fungus, Claviceps africana. The...nutritional value and due to the presence of the ergot fungal bodies called sclerotes. Infection is...
2.
Was This Idyllic French Village Driven Crazy by LSD in a Secret American Mind Experiment?
Newspaper article; The Daily Mail (London, England), March 18, 2010
...hippy movement of the Sixties. Known as ergot poisoning or Saint Anthonys fire, the...hallucinations, were said to have resulted from ergot poisoning from damp rye flour. Less than...years as being the most striking example of ergot poisoning in modern times. Case closed...
3.
A Masterpiece to Cry For
Newspaper article; The Evening Standard (London, England), January 11, 2008
Subjects: Musicians
...epidemicpestilence, the other invoked whenever St Antonys Fire (ergot) swept throughthe populace after eating mouldy ryefire because...reference less to syphilis (the usual explanation) than to the ergot thatmust have been the hospitallers main preoccupation. And...
4.
No Job, No Cash, No Trust? Be Not Afraid.We'll Soon Be Dancing in the Streets
Newspaper article; The Daily Mail (London, England), August 22, 2009
...triggered dancing mania. Some blame it on unwitting consumption of ergot, a fungus that contains LSD. But it had also been noted that...dont for a moment suggest that Bill Whelan was tossing down the ergot in generous lumps, but he did write a piece of music that unleashed...
5.
Livestock Face Toxin Risk; Farmers Warned of Fungus in Wet Sorghum Crops
Newspaper article; Tweed Daily News (Tweed Heads, Australia), May 26, 2009
Subjects: Livestock, Livestock industry
...report on the North Coast of high levels of fungus-induced "ergot infestation" in sorghum. It has warned the fungus diseases...forage sorghum crops they should be watched closely for signs of ergot poisoning". "Signs may indicate overheating such as excessive...
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encyclopedia articles on: Ergot  - 11 results

       More encyclopedia Results: 1-10 11-11 >>  
 
1.
Ergot
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
ERGOT ur g t, disease of rye and other cereals...pink or purple body, the sclerotium, or ergot, that resembles a grain of rye in shape...that are toxic to humans and livestock. Ergot poisoning, or ergotism, epidemic in the...
2.
Stimulant
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...opposing physiological effects, stimulation of one system amounts to depression of the other. Some of the alkaloids from the ergot fungus act by direct stimulation of smooth muscle, inducing contractions in uterine and intestinal muscle...
3.
Mushroom Poisoning
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...Some mushrooms contain substances that produce hallucinatory states, e.g., Psilocybe mexicana (see hallucinogenic drug ; ergot ). Occasional outbreaks of poisoning from eating canned mushrooms are not caused by poisonous mushrooms but by botulism resulting...
4.
Food Poisoning
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...have fed on poisonous plankton also are a cause of food poisoning, since the poisonous substance is not destroyed by cooking. Ergot poisoning, caused by ingestion of rye grain infected with that fungus, causes damage to the blood vessels and gangrene, as...
5.
Mold
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...which cause diseases of plants . Some molds produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that can cause serious diseases (see ergot ). Some organisms traditionally thought to be mold (e.g., slime molds ) have now been placed in the kingdom Protista...
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