Variability in the content and composition of alkaloids found in canadian ergot. I. Rye

Abstract

The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian rye ergot sclerotia. The total alkaloid content was highly variable between sclerotia from the same head, field, or region and ranged from 0.011 to 0.452% (av. 0.249%). Levels were lowest in ergot from Prince Edward Island. The individual alkaloid composition was uniform throughout a single sclerotium or in different sclerotia from the same head, somewhat uniform for averages in different fields throughout a region, but highly variable from head to head in a given field. On a regional basis, ergotamine followed by ergocristine were the major alkaloids observed in the east whereas the order was reversed in the west. Ergometrine, ergosine, ergocornine, and ergocryptine were also observed to a lesser degree; ergostine was not observed. Isomerization of ergometrine increased from near 0% in the east to about 40% in the west, but was relatively constant (about 30%) for the peptide alkaloids in all regions.

Ergot alkaloids in rye flour determined by solid-phase cation-exchange and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

“…[Insert Table II] The high variability in EA composition is consistent with the findings of a previous investigation of Canadian rye sclerotia (Young 1981a). Based on the results within the linear range of the calibration curves the average contents of ergot alkaloids in the sclerotia from the four locations were calculated to 270, 130, non detectable and 50 µg g -1 , respectively.…”

“…Large variations in EA content is also observed in Canadian ergot sclerotia (Young 1981b;Young 1981a). It cannot be excluded that some degradation of EAs has occurred during the storage of collected samples, but the deterioration of EAs measured by percent and activity by bioassay is reported to proceed very slowly in sclerotia stored dry at room temperature (Barger 1931).…”

“…The presence of ergot alkaloids in feed, their effects on animal health and the possibility of carry-over to food of animal origin has recently been reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA 2005). They attend the inaccuracy of expressing the rate of contamination by a percentage of sclerotia, as the alkaloid content and composition may vary with fungal strain, host plant, growth conditions and even within fields and cereal ears (Németh 1999;Young 1981a). Furthermore they recommend that more data is supplied on the variability of ergot alkaloids patterns in European feed materials.…”

Effect of Ergot From Different Sources and of Fractionated Ergot on the Performance of Growing Chicks

“…Unfortunately, the majority of reports of ergot poisoning in animals have not related effects on animal performance (feed consumption, weight gain and feed to gain ratio) to the concentration of total alkaloids and to their individual alkaloid content (Lorenz 1979 (Young 1981a.) High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to determine the individual alkaloid composition (Young 1981b fFor further details on structure or properties of individual alkaloids see Berde and Sturmer (1978).…”

Defining the tolerable level of ergot in the diet of weaned pigs

“…Parameters were set on the colour sorter to remove ergot sclerotia from the wheat based on the actual colour of ergot sclerotia and wheat. The puriifed sclerotia samples were then analyzed for total alkaloid content and individual alkaloids by high-pressure liquid chromatography (Young 1981).…”