Information About ™

Ergotamine
  CATEGORIES ABOUT ERGOLINE
   
biomolecules
   
ergoline
   
drugs
   
SHOPPER'S DELIGHT
 
Shop For:  
Department
Price Minimum:
Price Maximum:
      





Ergoline is a Chemical Compound whose structural skeleton is contained in a diverse range of Alkaloids and a few Psychedelic Drugs ( Ololiuhqui , LSD ). Substances derived from ergoline are used clinically for the purpose of Vasoconstriction and in the treatment of Migraine and Parkinson's Disease , some are implicated in the disease Ergotism . Ergometrine and ergotamine are listed as Table I precursors under the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic In Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances {Link without Title} .


CHEMISTRY

There are three main classes of ergoline derivatives, the water-soluble Amide s of lysergic acid, the water-insoluble '''ergo Peptide ''' alkaloids, and the '''clavine''' group.


Lysergic acid amides

The prototype of this class is


Other important members include:

The relationship between these compounds is summarized in the following Structural Formula and table of substitutions.





Peptide alkaloids

These compounds have a tri Peptide structure attached to the basic ergoline ring, in the same location as the Amide group of the lysergic acid derivatives. Some of the important ergopeptides are summarized below. In addition to the following ergopeptides, a commonly encountered term is '''ergotoxine''', which refers to a mixture of equal proportions of ergocristine, ergocornine and ergocryptine.







Clavines

A variety of modifications to the basic ergoline are seen in nature, for example agroclavine, '''elymoclavine''', '''lysergol'''. Those deriving from '''dimethylergoline''' are referred to as '''clavines'''.


Others

Some synthetic ergoline derivatives do fall easily into any of the above groups. Some examples are:



HISTORY & USES

Ergoline Alkaloid s were first isolated from Ergot , a fungus that infects grain and causes the disease Ergotism . Ergot also has a long history of medicinal use, which led to attempts to characterize its activity Chemically . This began in 1907 with the isolation by G. Barger and F. H. Carrin of ergotoxine, so-named since it appeared to exhibit more of the Toxic ity of ergot than its Therapeutic qualities. With the isolation of ergotamine in 1918 by A. Stoll came the first therapeutic use of isolated Ergoline alkaloids.

With the determination of the basic . Newer synthetic ergolines used for Parkinson's disease include pergolide and '''lisuride'''. Perhaps the most famous ergoline derivative of all is the Psychedelic Drug ''' LSD '''.

In 1960 , Albert Hofmann (discoverer of methergine, dihydroergotamine, Hydergine and LSD) delivered a speech that was to cause shockwaves of incredulity and even disbelief in the scientific community. Ergoline alkaloids, previously only known from the lower Fungi , had been found in two species of Flowering Plant s. These were the Mexican species '' Rivea Corymbosa '' and '' Ipomoea Violacea '' of the Convolvulaceae (morning glory) family, the seeds of which were identified as the psychedelic plant drugs known as " Ololiuhqui " and " Tlitliltzin ". Hofmann's result was later confirmed by other studies. The principal alkaloids in the seeds are ergine and its Optical Isomer isoergine, with several other lysergic acid derivatives and clavines present in lesser amounts. The Hawaii an species '' Argyreia Nervosa '' was later found to include similar alkaloids. It is possible, though not proven, that Ergine and/or isoergine are responsible for the Hallucinogen ic effects.


SEE ALSO



EXTERNAL LINKS