BEGOT 627 



Circulation.— 'Ergot is absorbed into the blood, but does 

 not influence that fluid. The essential action consists in 

 constriction of the arterioles and veins throughout the body, ' 

 with rise of blood pressure. This is due to stimulation of 

 the medullary vasomotor centre and vcalls of the arterioles 

 (sphacelotoxin and chrysotoxin) and the spinal vasomotor 

 centres (chrysotoxin). The pulse rate is also somewhat re- 

 duced, owing, probably, to stimulation of the peripheral 

 cardiac vagi. When ergot is thrown directly into a vein 

 (ergotinic acid), vascular tension is much lowered. This 

 phenomenon follows depression of the vasomotor centre and 

 heart muscle and does not occur after ordinary therapeutic 

 administration of ergot by the mouth or even under the skin. 

 Toxic doses paralyze both the vasomotor centres and heart 

 muscle (ergotinic acid and cornutine). 



Nervous System. — The nervous system is not affected 

 by medicinal doses of ergot, nor by large single doses of the 

 drug. Certain changes occur in poisoning, but these are not 

 understood. 



Uterus. — Ergot causes contraction of the pregnant 

 womb. It does not invariablv induce abortion, but does 

 always act on the parturient organ. Small doses increase the 

 duration and force of the uterine contractions, but large 

 medicinal doses produce a tonic, continuous spasm of the 

 womb without the usual intermissions. Ergot possesses little 

 influence on the normal unimpregnated uterus. The action 

 en the womb is probably to be ascribed to stimulation of the 

 uterine unstriated muscle (sphaceltoxin), and the spinal 

 lumbar centres controlling this organ (chrysotoxin). Ergot 

 is the oxytocic in most common use.* The secretion of urine, 

 sweat, saliva and milk is lessened by ergot, owing to general 

 vascular contraction. 



Administration. — The fluid extract is generally given 

 by the mouth. Some proprietary preparations are made for 

 subcutaneous use. Bonjean's ergotin, or the ofiicial extract, 

 are employed hypodermatically. 



3 Extr. Ergotse gr-xl. 



Alcohol. 



Glycerini. 



Aq. dest aa 5 i. 



M. 



Sig. Give one-half subcutaneously to a horse ; 10 to 15 M. to dogs. 



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