Research on livestock toxicoses caused by Acremonium (endophyte)-infec
ted grasses strongly implicate the ergopeptine alkaloids with A. coeno
phialum-infected fescue and paxilline and the lolitrem alkaloids with
A. lolii-infected perennial ryegrass as the causative agents. Isolatio
n, identification, and detection of these toxins involves extraction w
ith appropriate solvents, clean-up procedures, and chromatographic met
hods with known standards. Thin-layer, high-performance liquid and gas
chromatography along with ultraviolet and mass spectrometric (i.e., e
lectron impact, chemical ionization, tandem mass) characterizations ha
ve been reported. These methods have varying degrees of success depend
ing on the matrix from which the alkaloids have been extracted. Ergova
line is the primary ergopeptine alkaloid isolated from cultures of A.
coenophialum and also from infected fescue grass and seeds toxic to li
vestock. Other compounds isolated from the endophyte-infected fescue i
nclude: lysergic acid amide (ergine), the clavine class of ergot alkal
oids (chanoclavine I, agroclavine, elymoclavine, penniclavine), the py
rrolizidine alkaloids (N-formylloline, N-acetylloline, M-methlyloline,
N-acetylnorloline), and the unique pyrrolopyrazine alkaloid peramine.
The loline alkaloids and peramine have been more associated with the
insect-deterrent properties of the endophyte-infected fescue than with
livestock toxicoses. Also, both peramine and the ergopeptine alkaloid
s (ergovaline, ergotamine) have been isolated from A. lolii-infected p
erennial ryegrass. More recently, paxilline and lolitrem B have been d
etected in laboratory cultures of A. coenophialum isolated from tall f
escue. The ergot alkaloids in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass ma
y be more related to decreased animal productivity (weight gains, repr
oduction problems), whereas the lolitrems cause the staggers syndrome.
The detection, isolation, identification, and analyses of these compo
unds from Acremonium-infected grasses is presented.