Definition of "ergotamine" [ergotamine]

• A crystalline alkaloid, C33H35N5O5, derived from ergot that induces vasoconstriction and is used especially in treating migraine. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "From the ninth to the 19th centuries, Europe suffered a succession of epidemics caused by contamination of rye with ergot, a poisonous mold that produces the potent toxin ergotamine, the consumption of which induces hallucinations, bizarre behavior, and violent muscle twitching."
• "If you read the link, you go on to discover that Ipomoea varieties contain a lot of ergotamine, which is a vasoconstrictor and uterine stimulator, and should be approached with caution."
• "Ergot, a fungus that grows largely on cereal grains, contains potent alkaloids such as ergotamine, which are key in synthesizing lysergic acid for use in popular hallucinogens."