12 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



years. Zanon suggests placing the drug in alternate layers with 

 sand and keeping it in a closely sealed jar. Others grind the fresh 

 Ergot and preserve with chloroform in paraffin paper, while some 

 first extract the oil from the powder with alcohol or ether. Russia, 

 Spain and Germany furnish the chief part of the commercial supply, 

 the Russian drug being considered the most active. 



Spanish Ergot usually consists of large grains, having a fine appear- 

 ance, but is not so active as that from the other countries mentioned, 

 and contains considerable starch. 



Description. Sub-cylindrical, tapering toward but obtuse at 

 both ends, somewhat curved, 2 to 4 cm. long and about 3 mm. thick ; 

 externally purplish-black, longitudinally furrowed, occasionally 

 transversely fissured, one end with the whitish remains of mycelial 

 threads, fracture short; internally whitish or pinkish-white, sections 

 somewhat triangular or two-lobed; odor peculiar, heavy, increased 

 by trituration with potassium or sodium hydrate solution; taste 

 oily and disagreeable. 



Inner Structure. An outer portion consisting of small violet- 

 colored cells, the color of which is changed to blood-red upon the 

 addition of sulphuric acid and is soluble in solutions of the alkalies 

 producing a violet color. The rest of the sclerotium consists of 

 nearly colorless thin-walled hyphse which contain numerous globules 

 of fixed oil. 



Powder. Grayish-brown; consisting for most part of thin-walled 

 hyphse, containing numerous globules of fixed oil which are liberated 

 in mounts of solutions of hydrated chloral or sulphuric acid, which 

 reagents also produce a reddish or rose-purple color in the powder. 



Constituents. The constituents of Ergot have been the subject 

 of considerable investigation, and owing to the fact that the older 

 investigators worked with mixtures rather than pure principles there 

 has been some confusion in connection with the same. It contains 

 at least two alkaloids and a series of active amines. 



Ergotoxine or hydroergotinine is an amorphous alkaloid, insol- 

 uble in water and petroleum benzin, sparingly soluble in ether and 

 readily soluble in most other organic solvents. It exists naturally 

 in Ergot, is readily soluble in cold alcohol and consequently occurs 

 in alcoholic extracts of Ergot. It is soluble in dilute solutions of 

 sodium hydroxide. The salts form colloidal solutions with water, 

 but they are precipitated by electrolytes (salts of mineral acids). 

 It has a characteristic action on the cock's comb and is concerned 

 in the uterine and vascular effects. It is rather unstable and by loss 

 of water changes into its lactone, the second alkaloid of Ergot. 



