Ergotamine is a naturally occurring ergot alkaloid and a potent vasoconstrictor. It belongs to the ergot alkaloid family and is primarily used in pharmaceutical formulations for the acute treatment of migraine and certain vascular headache disorders.
Ergotamine exerts its pharmacological effects through interactions with several serotonin, adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors. Its activity produces constriction of cranial blood vessels and helps counteract the vascular component associated with migraine attacks.
Ergotamine is a complex ergoline alkaloid derived from Claviceps species. It is commonly supplied as a pharmaceutical active ingredient and can also be used in salt forms such as ergotamine tartrate.
The molecular formula of ergotamine is C₃₃H₃₅N₅O₅, with a molecular weight of approximately 581.66 g/mol. The CAS Registry Number is 113-15-5.
Ergotamine interacts with multiple serotonin receptors, particularly 5-HT1 receptors, as well as α-adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors.
Its pharmacological activity includes:
Ergotamine is primarily associated with:
Ergotamine is a small-molecule ergot alkaloid API. Pharmaceutical-grade material is evaluated using appropriate analytical procedures for identity, assay, purity, related substances, water content and other applicable physicochemical parameters.
Ergotamine tartrate is an important pharmaceutical salt form and should be treated as a separate API entry where the actual supplied material is the tartrate salt.
Ergotamine API intended for pharmaceutical manufacturing should comply with the applicable pharmacopoeial monograph and approved product specification. Quality evaluation may include:
A qualified supplier should provide Certificate of Analysis (CoA), specification documentation, SDS/MSDS, batch traceability and applicable regulatory documentation.
Ergotamine should be stored in a tightly closed container, protected from light and moisture and under the temperature conditions specified by the applicable approved specification and stability data.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline powder |
| Identification | IR & HPLC compliant |
| Assay (HPLC) | 98.0% – 102.0% |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 5.0% |
| Residue on Ignition | NMT 0.5% |
| Heavy Metals | NMT 20 ppm |
| pH (1% Solution) | 5.5 – 6.5 |
| Total Impurities | NMT 2.0% |
| Water Content | NMT 5.0% |
| Specific Rotation | Approximately −150° to −170° |
| Melting Point | Approximately 213–214°C (decomp.) |