ergot

[ ur-guht, -got ]

noun

1. Plant Pathology.
   1. a disease of rye and other cereal grasses, caused by a fungus of the genus Claviceps, especially C. purpurea, which replaces the affected grain with a long, hard, blackish sclerotial body.
   2. the sclerotial body itself.
2. Pharmacology. the dried sclerotium of C. purpurea, developed on rye plants: used in the production of ergotamine and ergotoxine.

ergot

/ ˈɜːɡət; -ɡɒt /

noun

1. a disease of cereals and other grasses caused by ascomycete fungi of the genus Claviceps, esp C. purpurea, in which the seeds or grain of the plants are replaced by the spore-containing bodies (sclerotia) of the fungus
2. any fungus causing this disease
3. the dried sclerotia of C. purpurea, used as the source of certain alkaloids used to treat haemorrhage, facilitate uterine contraction in childbirth, etc

ergot

/ ûr′gət /

1. A fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that infects rye as well as other cereal grasses fed to livestock. Ergot forms sclerotia (masses of hyphae) that replace individual seeds in the spike of the infected plant and contain a complex mixture of alkaloids, several of which are medicinally important. Ergot is the basic source of ergotamine and lysergic acid. Ingestion of infected rye produces convulsions, hallucinations, and severe vasoconstriction that can lead to gangrene. Ergot poisoning may have been responsible for outbreaks of mass hysteria and reports of demonic visions in medieval Europe.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ergot¹

1675–85; < French: literally, a rooster's spur; Old French argos, argoz, argot spur(s)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ergot¹

C17: from French: spur (of a cock), of unknown origin

Example Sentences

They’ve embraced only the Old Testament angry God and the apocalyptic parts of Revelation brought on by ergot poisoning.

From Salon

“Ergoloid mesylates, which are salts of the ergot alkaloids dihydroergocristine, dihydroergocornine, and dihydroergocryptine, are used in human medicine to treat Alzheimer’s and certain mood disorders. The trade name of the FDA approved formulation is Hydergine. Ergoloid mesylates are thought to be used in racing as an anti-bleeding treatment. That possibility, and due to their potential to affect cognitive function, the Association of Racing Commissioners classified the drug as Class 2/A.”

From Los Angeles Times

But a handful of drugs that are considered “classic” psychedelics—lysergic acid, which is derived from the ergot fungus; dimethyltriptamine, the active ingredient in ayahuasca; psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms; and mescaline, found in the peyote cactus—are seen as possible treatments.

From Scientific American

The L.A. punk bands Egrets on Ergot and Sebeyu will play at the end of the night.

From Los Angeles Times

In the early weeks of a pregnancy, midwives helped women restore their periods with plants like pennyroyal, savin, tansy and ergot, and doctors, among others, sold drugs made from herbs.

From The Guardian