ABSTRACT

Both parasitic and saprophytic ergot is a producer of vast number of compounds from which alkaloids represent the most important group. Over 80 ergot alkaloids (EA) have as yet been isolated from diverse natural material, mainly from Claviceps strains, but also from other fungi and higher plants. Besides alkaloids and some other secondary metabolites (pigments and mycotoxins), ergot produces also some unusual primary metabolites of the lipidic and sacharidic nature.