Abstract
Ergot alkaloids are indole derivatives produced by a wide range of fungi, being considered medically important because of their significant effect on the central nervous system of mammals, due to their structural similarity to neurotransmitters. They are also considered mycotoxins due to the severe toxic effects of ergot-contaminated grains on human and animal health. This chapter summarizes different aspects of ergot alkaloids concerning their chemistry, biosynthesis, and bioactivity, discussing the pharmacological activity as well as some important aspects related to their toxicity, occurrence, and regulations. Finally, an overview of analytical methods for the determination of ergot alkaloids is included, whereby high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence or mass spectrometer detection are the most widely used methods, although other techniques such as capillary electrophoresis or immunoassays have also been reported.
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Abbreviations
- 5-HT:
-
5-Hydroxytryptamine
- AA:
-
Amino acid
- AdoMet:
-
Adenosylmethionine
- APCI:
-
Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
- APPI:
-
Atmospheric pressure photoionization
- ARfD:
-
Acute reference dose
- BGE:
-
Background electrolyte
- CE:
-
Capillary electrophoresis
- CMC:
-
Critical micellar concentration
- CONTAM Panel:
-
Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain
- CPE:
-
Cloud point extraction
- CZE:
-
Capillary zone electrophoresis
- DMA:
-
Dimethylallyl
- DMAPP:
-
Dimethylallyl diphosphate
- DMAT:
-
Dimethylallyltryptophan
- DMATS:
-
Dimethylallyltryptophan synthase
- d-SPE:
-
Dispersive solid phase extraction
- EA:
-
Ergot alkaloid
- EC:
-
European Commission
- EFSA:
-
European Food Safety Authority
- ELISA:
-
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- ESI:
-
Electrospray ionization
- EU:
-
European Union
- FAD:
-
Flavin adenine dinucleotide
- FLD:
-
Fluorescence detection
- GC:
-
Gas chromatography
- HPLC:
-
High-performance liquid chromatography
- HRMS:
-
High-resolution mass spectrometry
- IT:
-
Ion trap
- LC:
-
Liquid chromatography
- LD50 :
-
Lethal dose 50 %
- LLE:
-
Liquid–liquid extraction
- LSA:
-
Lysergic acid amide
- LSD:
-
Lysergic acid diethylamide
- MIP:
-
Molecularly imprinted polymer
- MS/MS:
-
Tandem mass spectrometry
- MS:
-
Mass spectrometry
- MT:
-
Methyltransferase
- NIR:
-
Near infrared
- pCEC:
-
Pressurized capillary electrochromatography
- PSA:
-
Primary secondary amine
- Q-TOF:
-
Quadrupole time of flight
- QuEChERS:
-
Quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe
- RIA:
-
Radioimmunoassay
- SCX:
-
Strong cation exchange
- SPE:
-
solid phase extraction
- TDI:
-
Tolerable daily intake
- TLC:
-
Thin layer chromatography
- TOF:
-
Time of flight
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Natalia Arroyo-Manzanares received postdoctoral grant from the University of Granada.
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Arroyo-Manzanares, N., Gámiz-Gracia, L., García-Campaña, A.M., Diana Di Mavungu, J., De Saeger, S. (2016). Ergot Alkaloids: Chemistry, Biosynthesis, Bioactivity, and Methods of Analysis. In: Mérillon, JM., Ramawat, K. (eds) Fungal Metabolites. Reference Series in Phytochemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19456-1_1-1
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