ERGOT ALKALOID CONTENTS OF IPOMOEA-LACUNOSA, IPOMOEA-HEDERACEAE, IPOMOEA-TRICHOCARPA, AND IPOMOEA-PURPUREA SEED

Total ergot alkaloids extracted from seed of native, wild-type morning glories (i.e., pitted monrning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.), ivyleaf morning glory (I. hederaceae (L.) Jacq.), cotton morning glory (I. trichocarpa Ell. var. torreyana (Gray) Shinners) and tall morning glory (I. purpurea (L.) Roth)) and quantified by spectrophotometry as ergonovine maleate equivalents were 0.001-0.004% (i.e., -2.1 to 7.8%) of the total alkaloids present in a horticultural cultivar (I. tricolor Cav ''Heavenly Blue'') which contained 0.052% total alkaloids in the seed. Thus, negligible psychotomimetic hazard exists from these levels of alkaloids in the wild-type morning glory seeds. Major alkaloids found in these native species were separated and identified by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography and co-chromatography with authentic standards. Major alkaloids were chanoclavine, elymoclavine, penniclavine, agroclavine, ergonovine, ergonovinine, ergosine, and ergosinine. Alkaloids varied between morning glory species.