Abstract

Ergot is the hard violetish-black sclerotium of the fungus Claviceps purpurea produced on the earheads of certain cereals and grasses. The fungus infects the young ovary and finally replaces the grain with the sclerotium. Ergot is a valuable source of medicine recognized alike in British Pharmacopoeia (B. P.), Pharmacopoeia of the United States of America (U. S. P.), Prescriptio Internationalis (P. 1.) etc. The ergot of commerce is chiefly obtained from rye, crops of which get natural infection from year to year. The ergot of sheep's fescue grass, though very much less abundantly obtained, ja valued very much higher by manufacturing chemists by virtue of its high alkaloid content. There are about 10 alkal- oids known to occur in ergot, of which ergo-metrine B P. (called ergonovine in U. S. P.) is reported to be the most valuable. Ergotoxine and ergotemine are other valuable alkaloids (Cunningham 1941). Erget contracts the arterioles and unstriped muscles and is a powerful ecbolic (agent which accelerates labour) and a haemostatic (agent which errests bleeding). It is used in obstetrics, migraine spinal and cerebral congestion, internal hae- morrhage, in paralysis of the bladder and dicbetes mellitus (Dorland 1935) Besides these peace time uses, it is largely required during war for the treatment of wounded personnel of the fighting forces and air-raid victims.

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