Ergot of rye is a small fungus popular in Europe - a parasite that attacks cereals and other grasses. Ergot, its spore (endospore), is an elongated, cylindrical, hard structure, dark brown in color and up to 2-3 cm long.
It is characteristically placed in ears of ripe grain. Its development and spread are facilitated by wind, high air humidity and insect activity.
The spores of the fungus attack the pistils of cereal and grass flowers and then transform them into narrow, dark cones.
Ergot very nicely proves the words of Paracelsus that everything that surrounds us is a poison and is not a poison, because it is determined by the dose of the substance.
Ergot contains alkaloids, which are poisons that are extremely dangerous to the human nervous system, but in small amounts they can have a healing effect.
Before the disastrous effects of ergot after its consumption were recognized, the poisoning caused by it was called Saint Anthony's fire.
According to historical sources, ergot poisoning at the end of the 11th century caused the death of tens of thousands of people in France alone.
The name of the disease referred to the service provided by the Order of St. Anthony, which included people with leprosy and other festering, festering wounds all over their bodies.
The historical chronicles of those times contain blood-curdling stories of towns and villages full of dying people whose limbs, noses and ears were turning black and falling off before they died.
However, it was not only the gangrenous, fatal symptoms of the disease that terrified the inhabitants of medieval European societies. Ergot was also responsible for the plague of convulsive behaviour, called in the Middle Ages the dance of St. Hello.
Today we know that its consumption often caused chorea. It is a movement disorder characterized by decreased muscle tension and, above all, relatively smooth but incorrect limb movements. Chorea is a symptom of serious damage to the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain and spinal cord.
The perpetrators of these tragedies are the alkaloids found in ergot, including: ergometrine and ergotamine. Both substances are used in pharmacy, but when consumed in too large doses they are dangerous.
Fungus.
In the 19th century, the effects of ergot of rye were used in gynecology and obstetrics:
The mechanism of action of ergot of rye alkaloids is based on structural similarity to neurotransmitters and direct action on serotonergic 5-HT receptors, as well as alpha-adrenergic and dopamine receptors.
The basic physiological effect of ergot of rye alkaloids:
Ergot of rye alkaloids have been used in modern medicine:
Ergot of rye alkaloids can also be the starting substrate for obtaining the hallucinogenic LSD - D-lysergic acid.
A semi-synthetic derivative of ergot of rye alkaloids, bromocriptine, is widely used, among others, in Parkinson's disease and prolactin secretion disorders.
The main ergot of rye alkaloids are ergometrine and ergotamine. Ergometrine strongly contracts the uterine muscles, which is why it is used (currently its synthetic equivalents) after childbirth and placenta removal, in order to reduce bleeding and accelerate muscle contraction - also by inducing smooth muscle contractions in the vessels themselves.
Ergotamine slows down the pulse, reduces the intensity of metabolic processes, and has a contracting effect on the smooth muscles of larger blood vessels, including the uterus - in small doses it is even used during childbirth.
Ergotamine was isolated from ergot in 1918 and is also used as an anti-migraine drug, often in combination with caffeine or an antihistamine, which enhances its effect.
It is very effective, but it is usually administered with antiemetics because it increases the nausea associated with migraines. It is also used in hyperthyroidism with very rapid heart rate.
Due to its rich composition, ergot of rye is used to produce medicines. It entered medicine already in the 16th century. Especially noteworthy are ergotine and ergotamine.
The first compound, even in small doses, increases the frequency and intensity of uterine contractions, which is why it is used in agents that enhance labor.
An additional effect is the contraction of cerebral and peripheral blood vessels. It also reduces extracranial blood flow. It is used in obstetrics to relieve puerperal bleeding after expulsion of the placenta.
In turn, the most famous ergot alkaloid, i.e. ergotamine, is used to produce agents that alleviate migraine pain and cluster headaches, used in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension and dementia, including that associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Despite the effectiveness of ergotamine, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has introduced restrictions on the use of pharmaceuticals containing it, including in the treatment of cognitive, circulatory and sensory disorders and in the prevention of migraine.
Ergotamine is also used to produce LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide), one of the most active psychedelic substances with hallucinogenic properties.
Ergot of rye is a source of various substances, including:
Ergot of rye has accompanied people since ancient times, causing massive acute and chronic poisoning in the Middle Ages when the flour was not thoroughly cleaned of this parasite.
This fungus is resistant to high temperatures, so the source of poisoning was most often bread baked from contaminated rye flour.
As a result of accidental ingestion, characteristic, painful spasm of peripheral vessels occurred, leading to gangrene of the limbs (especially fingers and toes), due to the effect called "St. Anthony's fire".
Other symptoms of poisoning from ergot-contaminated flour included:
Ergotism was divided into gangrenous or convulsive depending on the symptoms. Sometimes both types occurred at the same time.
Ergot of rye poisoning as a result of accidental ingestion, even a small amount, can lead to death. The main symptoms of poisoning are:
There is no specific antidote to ergot of rye alkaloids. In order to alleviate the symptoms, the following drugs are administered: sodium nitroprusside, tolazoline or heparin, vasodilators.
The inconspicuous ergot of rye holds a unique place in medicine and human history. Its basic alkaloids are still used in medicine and are not obtained synthetically.
This is a unique example of a plant that is a source of compounds that provide many health benefits and pain relief, but at the same time, if accidentally consumed, it can be fatal.
