ABSTRACT

This chapter contains information about all the therapeutically used ergot alkaloids and their manufacture. Not all such information can be found in the literature and supported by references. The technology used for manufacture can be traced in the patent literature but not all the patented processes are actually used in the production and, on the other hand, not all the technologies used have been patented. So at least a part of this information is based on personal communication only or is deduced from some indirect cues-for instance the profile of impurities. Further information, not usually published is the amount of individual manufactured products. These estimations are based on a long-term experience in ergot alkaloid business. Even if all such estimations can be inaccurate, I believe that in a book published in a series “Industrial profiles” they cannot be omitted.