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Ergot Alkaloids
Published in Dongyou Liu, Handbook of Foodborne Diseases, 2018
The anamorphic genus Neotyphodium also contains a number of ergot-producing species such as N. coenophialum (formerly Acremonium coenophianum, Epichloe typhina) and N. lolii (formerly Acremonium lolii), which are endophytic fungi commonly found in tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), respectively. Transmitted in the seed (not via spores), N. coenophialum can produce ergot alkaloids (primarily ergovaline), loline alkaloids, and peramine [8–10].
Comparative study on the metabolism of the ergot alkaloids ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergotamine, and ergovaline in equine and human S9 fractions and equine liver preparations
Published in Xenobiotica, 2019
Wiebke Rudolph, Daniela Remane, Dirk K. Wissenbach, Frank T. Peters
The symbiosis of certain fungi and pasture grasses can be beneficiary for the plants reducing various biotic and abiotic stress factors. Part of these effects result from the production of toxic alkaloids by the colonizing fungi. One group of alkaloids relevant in this context are the ergopeptine alkaloids like ergotamine or ergovaline. The mechanism of ergovaline toxicity is not fully understood, but this alkaloid probably has vasoconstrictory effects being a partial agonist at 5-HT receptors and α-adrenoreceptors as well as an agonist at D2-receptors (Cross et al., 1995; Gooneratne et al., 2012; Strickland et al., 2011). Altogether, the symptomatology of ergovaline poisoning is very similar to ergotism, which is caused by ergotamine. However, ergotism is only rarely reported these days (Klotz et al., 2008). Ergovaline is suspected to be a causative agent for fescue toxicosis (FT), a disease of grazing animals characterized in horses by symptoms like prolonged gestation, dystocia, decreased serum prolactin with reduced milk production up to agalactia, weak and dysmature foals, generally reduced pregnancy rates, and intolerance to heat with extensive sweating. Its vasoconstrictory effects are further thought to be responsible for development of the so called fescue foot associated with swelling around fetlocks and hoof region, lameness, and gangrene of ears and tails especially in cattle (Cross et al., 1995; Strickland et al., 2009).