Co-Occurrence and Intoxication Impact of Dietary Ergot Alkaloids on Humans’and Animals’ Health

Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are harmful bioactive substances generated by a group of fungi in the genus Claviceps.The most prominent member of this group is Claviceps purpurea.These endophytic fungi contaminate grasses and parasitize grain crops, including rye, wheat, triticale, barley, millet, oat, and sorghum.This review unveils a comprehensive understanding of EAs-related intoxication, elucidating their multifaceted hazardous impact on human and livestock health.In the Middle Ages, toxic EAs in rye were reported to afflict many people and animals.Since then, the insidious influence of EAs has continued to the present time, causing severe harm to human and livestock health, and exerting a negative impact on our economic profitability.Intake of feedstuffs contaminated with EAs results in ergotism, which is often recognized in two forms: gangrenous and convulsive.Gangrenous ergotism disrupts the blood flow to the lower limbs, while the convulsive type impacts the central nervous system, transforming the homeostasis of animals.Furthermore, while the varieties of EAs diminish the nutritional value of grasses and grains, their pharmacological attributes make them beneficial in treating acute migraines and cluster headaches.Recent incidents of digestion of sclerotia-contaminated grains affecting populations in developing countries underscore ergotism as a significant threat to public health.This review article offers a comprehensive overview of the co-occurrence and intoxication impact of dietary ergot alkaloids encompassing human and livestock health, including the prevalence, toxicity, roles of endophytic fungi, intoxication of dietary exposure, permissible limits, synthesis, and medical applications, as well as their pivotal roles in the context of food and fee d security.By examining the multidimensional challenges posed by EAs, this review lays a solid groundwork for understanding and mitigating their detrimental effects on human and livestock health.