What Is Ergotism?

Ergot, Chinese medicine name. It is the sclerotium of the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. And the ergot fungus Clavicepsmicrocephala (Wallr.) Tul. Ergot sclerotia are distributed in Northeast, North China and Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan and other places; Ergocephalus microcephalus is distributed in Northeast and Inner Mongolia. With uterine contraction and hemostasis, analgesic effect. Commonly used for postpartum hemorrhage and migraine.

Chinese scientific name: Ergot
nickname: Rye umami, purple ergot
boundary: Fungal kingdom
door: Fungi
Tsuna: Sclerotinia

Head: Spheroides
Branch: Ergotaceae
Genus: Ergot
Species: Ergot, ergot
Harvest time: Harvest in summer and autumn
Poisonous: Poisonous "Highland Chinese Herbal Therapy Manual"

Ergot injection site

Sclerotia.

Ergot taste

The taste is bitter, spicy and flat.

Ergot

Return to the liver and kidney.

Ergot function

Contractions to stop bleeding and pain.

Ergot

For postpartum hemorrhage and migraine.

Ergot usage and dosage

Oral administration: made into a stream extract, 0.5-2ml each time, 3-4 times a day; a large dose of 4ml, 12ml a day; or made into tablets, injections.

Ergot use attention

Pregnant women, labor, and placenta are not fully discharged. Patients with liver disease and peripheral vascular disease should take caution. This product is poisonous. It often causes thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, cold limbs, pale complexion, visual and hearing disorders after taking it by mistake. In severe cases, hallucinations and convulsions may occur, leading to coma death.

Ergot processing

Collection and processing: The wheat ears in summer and autumn are harvested when they are yellow, and dried or dried for future use.

Ergot morphological characteristics

Ergot bacterium: long sclerotia, horn-shaped at both ends, hard, (10-30) mm × (2-7) mm, smooth, with longitudinal grooves, purple-black outside, lilac or gray-white inside, each sclerotia Produces 20-30 peduncles with curved thin handles, dark brown. The peduncle is nearly spherical, 1-2mm in diameter, and is reddish-brown. The ascus shells are all buried in the constellation, and its orifices slightly protrude from the surface of the constellation, (200-250) m × (150-175) m. The ascus is long and cylindrical. (100-125) m × (4-5) m, containing 8 ascospores. Ascospores are filamentous, colorless, (50-70) m × 1 m.

Ergocephalus microcephalus: It is very similar to ergot bacterium, the main difference is that the sclerotia are black horn-shaped, the resulting pedicle has a smaller head, and the diameter is less than 0.8mm.

Ergot growth environment

Ergot: Parasitic in the ovary of gramineous plants such as wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Distributed in Northeast, North China and Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan and other places.

Ergot microcephalus: Born in Calamagrostis sp. And S podiopogon sibiricus Trin. And other grasses. It is distributed in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia.

Ergot identification

Trait Identification

Medicinal properties:

(1) Ergot: long sclerotium sclerotia, straight or slightly arched, with 3 obtuse edges, length 1-4cm, width 2-7mm. The outer skin is gray-purple to black-purple, with small horizontal cracks and longitudinal grooves. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, flat in cross section, slightly obtuse triangle, and its edge is a thin layer of dark purple tissue. The interior is light brown to light red, and sometimes star-shaped dark lines are visible in the center. Qi is specific and weak, the taste is slightly sweet first, and then spicy.

(2) Ergot ergot: black sclerotia, horn-shaped, about 6mm long and 0.7mm in diameter. Yu is similar to ergot.

Those who are dry, large, uniform, purple-brown, and white in color are preferred.

Ergot pharmacological action

Excite uterine function

2. Effects on the nervous system

3. Effect on the cardiovascular system

Ergot

"Highland Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook": "Sexuality, slightly bitter taste. Toxic. Enter the liver and kidney."

National Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicine: "Light, lukewarm."

"Chinese Medicinal Spore Plant": "Gan, Xin, Ping."

"Pharmacology of Sinopharm": "It is a uterine tightening drug. It is effective for uterine bleeding, flaccid postpartum bleeding after delivery, uterine insufficiency, degeneration, etc.

"Highland Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook": "Cure Migraine."

"Hangzhou Medicinal Plant History": "It is an internal hemostatic agent."

Ergot notes

The sclerotia of Claviceps macrocephala Torl is also used for medicinal purposes. Sclerotia are black, hard and horny. Often parasitized on the ears of gramineous plants such as grass, broom, aloe, barley, wheat, and grass. Distributed in Xinjiang.

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