A New Alkaloid of Ergot

Abstract

SOME years ago, Chassar Moir¹ demonstrated by clinical experiments that aqueous extracts of ergot, so far from being valueless as maintained by pharmacologists, contain an oxytocio principle with a remarkably rapid action on the human puerperal uterus. This principle was isolated by Dudley and Moir² and found to be a water soluble alkaloid, which they named ergometrine. During the process of manufacture of this alkaloid, we have isolated in addition a new alkaloid which is isomeric with ergometrine and convertible into it. The relationship is apparently similar to that existing between the alkaloidal pairs orgotoxine-ergotinine and ergotamine-ergotaminine. We have accordingly named it ergometrinine. In the above-mentioned pairs, one member in each case is comparatively inert. Whether the new alkaloid has the same clinical action as ergometrine or is a relatively inert isomeride remains a question for clinical investigation.