Ergot Alkaloids and their Hallucinogenic Potential in Morning Glories

Abstract

Naturally occurring and semisynthetic ergot alkaloids play a role in health care or as recreational drugs in Western and indigenous Mexican societies. Evidence is summarized that ergot alkaloids present in Central American Convolvulaceae like , and are colonized by different species of a newly described clavicipitaceous fungal genus named . The fungi are associated with peltate glandular trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface of its host plants. The fungi are not yet culturable but were demonstrated to have the capacity to synthesize ergot alkaloids. The alkaloids do not remain in the fungal mycelium but are translocated via the glandular trichomes into their plant host. Both fungi and host benefit from a symbiotic lifestyle. In evolutionary terms the alkaloid biosynthetic gene cluster in the symbiosis is likely to have a conserved (basic) structure while biosynthetic ergot gene clusters within the genera and were under ecological selection for alkaloid diversification.

Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms

“…Classic or serotoninergic psychedelic compounds are so called mainly because they interact with the serotonergic system and most of them derive from plants or are semisynthetics (Andén et al, 1968;Glennon et al, 1984;Vollenweider et al, 1998). Serotonergic psychedelics include 1) the semisynthetic ergoline LSD; 2) plant-derived tryptamines, such as psilocybin (the active ingredient found in "magic mushrooms"), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT, the active ingredient in ayahuasca), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), and lysergic acid amide (the active ingredient in morning glories); and 3) phenethylamines, such as mescaline (the active ingredient in the peyote and San Pedro cacti), and phenethylamine-based synthetic designer drugs (Vollenweider et al, 2007;Maciulaitis et al, 2008;Passie et al, 2008;Vollenweider and Kometer, 2010;Dean et al, 2013;Steiner and Leistner, 2018;Dinis-Oliveira et al, 2019). In some cases, they share part of the chemical structure with the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT)-in particular, the indole scaffold.…”

Functional Ecology of External Secretory Structures in Rivea ornata (Roxb.) Choisy (Convolvulaceae)

“…Specifically, petiolar nectaries and calycinal glands appear to provide indirect defense against herbivores by attracting guard ants [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ], and the calycinal glands may also protect flowers and fruit from abiotic stressors [ 26 , 58 ]. Foliar glands appear to be related to a wide array of defensive mechanisms, e.g., reducing herbivory through secretion of plant metabolites or by harboring beneficial microbes, as well as providing protection against abiotic stress in hot and dry environments [ 19 , 25 , 36 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ].…”

“…Schum.) A. Robyns in the Malvaceae family) [ 36 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 ,…”

Secondary metabolite biosynthetic diversity in the fungal family Hypoxylaceae and Xylaria hypoxylon

“…associated with morning glories ( Florea et al. 2017 , Steiner & Leistner 2018 ). Ergot alkaloids became infamous in particular due to their detrimental effects on humans and livestock as they interact with serotonin, dopamine and adrenergic receptors.…”