Ergot

Other Names: Claviceps purpurea, Cockspur Rye, Cornezuelo, Ergot de Seigle, Hornseed, Mai Jiao, Mother of Rye, Secale Cornutum, Smut Rye, Spurred Rye.

Special Precautions of Ergot

• Ergot is UNSAFE. There is a high risk of poisoning, and it can be fatal. Early symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, itching, and rapid or slow heartbeat. Ergot poisoning can progress to gangrene, vision problems, confusion, spasms, convulsions, unconsciousness, and death.
• It is UNSAFE for anyone to use ergot, but some people have extra reasons not to use it:
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s UNSAFE to use ergot. Ergot has many effects that can be harmful during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Don’t use it.
• Heart disease: Ergot can narrow blood vessels and make heart disease worse.
• Kidney disease: People with kidney problems are not able to flush ergot out of their bodies well enough. This can cause ergo to build up, and that increases the risk of ergot poisoning.
• Liver disease: People with liver problems are not able to remove ergot from their bodies well enough. This can cause ergo to build up, and that increases the risk of ergot poisoning.
• Narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the legs and feet (peripheral vascular disease): Ergot can narrow blood vessels and make this condition worse.
• Medications for depression (Antidepressant drugs) interacts with ERGOT
• Medications for depression (MAOIs) interacts with ERGOT
• Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM, and others) interacts with ERGOT
• Ergot Derivatives interacts with ERGOT
• Medications that decrease the breakdown of other medications in the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors) interacts with ERGOT
• Meperidine (Demerol) interacts with ERGOT
• Pentazocine (Talwin) interacts with ERGOT
• Stimulant drugs interacts with ERGOT
• Tramadol (Ultram) interacts with ERGOT

Health Benefits and uses of Ergot are

• Vasoconstrictor : Ergot contains chemicals that can help reduce bleeding by causing a narrowing of the blood vessels.
• Despite serious safety concerns, ergot has been used as medicine. Women use it to treat excessive bleeding during menstrual periods, at the start of menopause, and before and after miscarriage.
• They also use ergot after childbirth to expel the placenta and contract the uterus.