Tag: Ergotism

For centuries, the ergot fungus, *Claviceps purpurea*, contaminated rye and other grains, causing deadly outbreaks of ergotism that revealed what does ergot do to humans through severe gangrene and hallucinations. This parasitic fungus produces powerful alkaloids that have historically caused widespread suffering, but are now harnessed in modern pharmacology for therapeutic benefits.

During the Middle Ages, an estimated 50,000 people died from outbreaks of ergot poisoning, known as St. Anthony's Fire, which caused painful convulsions and hallucinations. These deadly episodes raise a critical question for modern pharmacology: **Is ergot a psychedelic drug?** The answer is that while it is mind-altering, it is a poison, not a recreational psychedelic.

An estimated $1 billion in livestock production losses occur annually in the USA due to ergot alkaloid toxicosis [1.2.3]. So, what is an ergot alkaloid? These compounds are mycotoxins produced by fungi with a complex history of being both a poison and a medication [1.2.3, 1.10.4].