Ergotamine (Ergot Alkaloid · Migraine Vasoconstrictor · Informational)
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Compound | Ergotamine (Ergomar; Cafergot component) |
| Chemical class | Alkaloid — Ergot (ergopeptine; lysergic-acid-derived indole alkaloid) |
| CAS | 113-15-5 |
| Primary source | Claviceps purpurea (ergot fungus, sclerotium on rye and other grasses) |
| Key applications | Acute migraine and cluster headache vasoconstrictor; 5-HT1B/1D agonist; informational-only |
| Claim strength | High (pharmaceutical) |
| Typical form | Pharmaceutical tablet/suppository (ergotamine tartrate, often with caffeine); not a supplement ingredient |
| Buy from Herbuno | Informational reference — see HerbIQ Compound Index → |
Name origin: Ergotamine is named for ergot, the Claviceps purpurea fungal sclerotium that replaces the grain kernel on infected rye. It is an ergopeptine — a lysergic-acid-derived indole alkaloid to which the amino acids alanine, proline, and phenylalanine are covalently linked as a cyclic peptide — and it is this shared lysergic-acid core that connects it chemically to the wider ergot family and to LSD. Traditional use: Ergot has a dual and dramatic history. Midwives from the sixteenth century onward used ergot preparations to induce uterine contractions and control postpartum haemorrhage, while contaminated grain caused recurrent epidemics of ergotism — "St Anthony's fire" — marked by gangrenous limb vasoconstriction, convulsions, and hallucinations. The same alkaloids underlay both the therapeutic and the toxic faces of ergot. Research trajectory: Ergotamine was the first pure ergot alkaloid marketed specifically for migraine and remains a recognised, effective acute migraine and cluster-headache therapy. Its receptor pharmacology across serotonin, dopamine, and adrenergic sites has been characterised in detail, including work mapping its stimulation of specific serotonin-receptor subtypes StatPearls 2023, and authoritative reference resources document its vasoconstrictor mechanism and its clinical and safety profile LiverTox 2018. Safety context: Ergotamine's vasoconstriction can cause serious ischaemic events, and it interacts dangerously with CYP3A4 inhibitors and other vasoconstrictors, so it is a monitored prescription fungal alkaloid rather than a botanical supplement, and it is documented here as a reference only.
Evidence for Ergotamine Applications
Acute migraine treatment: Ergotamine activates serotonin 5-HT1B/1D receptors on intracranial vessels, producing the cranial vasoconstriction long associated with the abortion of a migraine attack; it is among the oldest specific antimigraine agents and is documented as relatively safe and effective within its class in authoritative pharmacology references LiverTox 2018. Its efficacy predates and helped motivate the development of the more selective triptans. Claim strength: High (pharmaceutical context).
Receptor pharmacology: Ergotamine is a non-selective agonist across multiple serotonin-receptor subtypes and also engages 5-HT2A and alpha-adrenergic receptors; detailed receptor-level studies, including work identifying its stimulation of particular serotonin receptors in cardiac tissue, map the broad activity that underlies both its efficacy and its adverse effects StatPearls 2023. This promiscuity distinguishes it from the receptor-selective triptans. Claim strength: High.
Cluster headache: The same vasoconstrictor and serotonergic actions make ergotamine useful in acute cluster headache, historically an important indication before the advent of triptans and high-flow oxygen. Claim strength: Moderate.
Vasoconstrictor toxicity: Excessive or interacting use can produce ergotism — peripheral ischaemia, coronary vasospasm, and arrhythmia — which is the safety-limiting expression of the very pharmacology that makes the drug effective. The risk is amplified by concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors, which raise ergotamine exposure. Claim strength: High (pharmaceutical context).
Food-safety relevance of ergot: Because ergotamine and related alkaloids arise from Claviceps contamination of cereals, grain and cereal-derived ingredients are subject to strict regulatory limits on total ergot alkaloids — a food-safety consideration that connects this pharmaceutical compound to routine botanical and cereal ingredient quality control. Claim strength: Moderate.
This compound is documented for research and formulator education purposes. For commercially available botanical ingredients, explore the HerbIQ Compound Index →
Dosage & Formulator Specification
Ergotamine is a pharmaceutical compound not appropriate for dietary-supplement formulation, and no consumer dosing applies. Clinical migraine dosing uses milligram amounts of ergotamine tartrate, frequently combined with caffeine to improve absorption, with strict daily and weekly maxima to avoid ergotism and medication-overuse headache, all under medical supervision.
Ergotamine is a fungal (Claviceps) alkaloid rather than a botanical extract, and it is not a food-safe supplement ingredient. Its contraindications — pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, and concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors such as certain macrolide antibiotics and azole antifungals — are stringent, and the interaction risk is a defining feature of its clinical handling.
From a quality-control standpoint, the more relevant point for botanical formulators is the reverse of sourcing: any grain or plant material at risk of Claviceps contamination must be tested against regulatory limits for total ergot alkaloids, and ergotamine is one of the marker compounds in that testing. This ties the pharmaceutical entry directly to cereal and botanical ingredient safety monitoring.
This page documents ergotamine as a chemical-family reference within the HerbIQ index — connecting the ergot alkaloids to the broader indole-alkaloid landscape and to food-safety monitoring — and does not constitute sourcing guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions — Ergotamine
What is ergotamine?
Ergotamine is an ergopeptine ergot alkaloid produced by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which grows as a sclerotium on rye and other grasses. It is a vasoconstrictor used to treat acute migraine and cluster headache, often formulated with caffeine, and it is built on the lysergic-acid skeleton that characterises the ergot alkaloids.
How does ergotamine relieve migraine?
Ergotamine is a non-selective agonist at serotonin 5-HT1B/1D receptors on intracranial blood vessels, producing the cranial vasoconstriction associated with migraine relief. It also engages 5-HT2A and alpha-adrenergic receptors, which contributes both to its efficacy and to its vasoconstrictor side-effect profile.
Why is ergotamine informational-only?
Ergotamine is a prescription migraine drug with significant vasoconstrictor risks and dangerous interactions, particularly with CYP3A4 inhibitors. It is a fungal alkaloid rather than a botanical supplement ingredient, and appears in HerbIQ as a chemical-family reference.
Is ergotamine related to LSD and ergot poisoning?
Yes, through shared chemistry. Ergotamine is built on the lysergic-acid skeleton that also underlies LSD, and the historical epidemics of ergotism ("St Anthony's fire") from Claviceps-contaminated rye reflected the gangrenous vasoconstriction and neurological toxicity of these same ergot alkaloids. The medicinal and the toxic histories of ergot are two sides of one chemistry.
Related compounds: Lappaconitine, Reserpine, Caffeine, Ibogaine
Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.
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