ergotism

/'ə:gətizm/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Noun: 1. A toxic condition caused by consuming grain products contaminated with the ergot fungus: Ergotism is a form of poisoning resulting from the ingestion of alkaloids produced by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which infects rye and other cereals. 2. The pathological state characterized by specific symptoms due to ergot alkaloid poisoning: The condition is marked by a constellation of symptoms affecting the nervous and vascular systems.

Examples of Usage
  • Noun:
    • Outbreaks of ergotism, also known historically as St. Anthony's Fire, were common in the Middle Ages.
    • The primary cause of ergotism is the consumption of bread made from contaminated rye flour.
    • Modern grain screening has made cases of ergotism extremely rare in developed countries.
Advanced Usage
  • Historical Context: Ergotism is historically significant, with two recognized forms: convulsive ergotism (affecting the nervous system) and gangrenous ergotism (affecting blood circulation, leading to limb loss). Some historians have speculated that episodes of ergotism may have influenced events like the Salem witch trials due to the bizarre symptoms it can produce.
Variants and Related Words
  • Ergot (noun): The hard, dark-purple sclerotium of the fungus that contains the poisonous alkaloids.
  • Ergotamine (noun): A specific ergot alkaloid used medicinally to treat migraines but which can cause symptoms of ergotism in overdose.
Synonyms
  • Ergot poisoning: A more descriptive synonym.
  • St. Anthony's Fire: The historical name for the condition.
Related Phrases and Terms
  • Ergot alkaloids: The class of chemical compounds responsible for the toxic effects.
  • Gangrenous ergotism: A severe form of the poisoning characterized by vasoconstriction leading to dry gangrene of the extremities.
  • Convulsive ergotism: A form of the poisoning characterized by nervous system effects like seizures and muscle spasms.
Noun
  1. poisoning by ingestion of ergot-infected grain products; characterized by thirst and diarrhea and nausea and cramping and vomiting and abnormal cardiac rhythms; in severe cases it can cause seizures and gangrene of the limbs