ergotamine
noun
er·got·a·mine
(ˌ)ər-ˈgä-tə-ˌmēn 
: an alkaloid C33H35N5O5 derived from ergot that is used chiefly in the form of its tartrate especially in treating migraine
Examples of ergotamine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ergots are alkaloids—either ergotamine or dihydroergotamine—sometimes combined with caffeine.
—
Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 13 Dec. 2023
Medicines that alleviate migraine symptoms include ergotamine and triptan drugs and pain relievers.37
Other migraine remedies include:37
Laying down in a dark, quiet room with your eyes shut
Placing a cold compress on your forehead
Staying hydrated
14.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 31 Aug. 2023
However, to really erase migraine pain, the research noted above emphasizes that medicines—like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ergotamine, and triptan—are often the most effective solution.
—Julia Ries, SELF, 10 July 2023
The first such drugs, called ergotamines, were powerful vasoconstrictors derived from the ergot fungus, which grows on rye and other grains and led to mass poisonings in the Middle Ages.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 18 May 2018
That idea was reinforced in the late 1930s with the publication of a paper on the use of ergotamine tartrate, an alkaloid that was known to constrict blood vessels.
—David Noonan, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2015
Yet even refined, synthetic versions of ergotamine can dangerously narrow blood vessels, so doctors and patients welcomed the triptans, which selectively constrict the blood vessels of the brain.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 18 May 2018
As treatments, though, ergotamine and serotonin have serious problems.
—R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
The result, after a decade of work, was sumatriptan, which, like ergotamine, both eased pain and constricted blood vessels.
—R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
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Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 13 Dec. 2023
Medicines that alleviate migraine symptoms include ergotamine and triptan drugs and pain relievers.37
Other migraine remedies include:37
Laying down in a dark, quiet room with your eyes shut
Placing a cold compress on your forehead
Staying hydrated
14.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 31 Aug. 2023
However, to really erase migraine pain, the research noted above emphasizes that medicines—like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ergotamine, and triptan—are often the most effective solution.
—Julia Ries, SELF, 10 July 2023
The first such drugs, called ergotamines, were powerful vasoconstrictors derived from the ergot fungus, which grows on rye and other grains and led to mass poisonings in the Middle Ages.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 18 May 2018
That idea was reinforced in the late 1930s with the publication of a paper on the use of ergotamine tartrate, an alkaloid that was known to constrict blood vessels.
—David Noonan, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2015
Yet even refined, synthetic versions of ergotamine can dangerously narrow blood vessels, so doctors and patients welcomed the triptans, which selectively constrict the blood vessels of the brain.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 18 May 2018
As treatments, though, ergotamine and serotonin have serious problems.
—R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
The result, after a decade of work, was sumatriptan, which, like ergotamine, both eased pain and constricted blood vessels.
—R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
Cite this Entry
“Ergotamine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ergotamine. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ergotamine
noun
er·got·a·mine
(ˌ)ər-ˈgät-ə-ˌmēn
: an alkaloid that is derived from ergot and is used chiefly in the form of its tartrate (C33H35N5O5)2·C4H6O6 especially in treating migraine
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