Process for the preparation of ergotamine and ergotaminine in submerged culture and under aerobic conditions

Ergotamine and ergotaminine are made by fermenting a strain of Claviceps purpurea characterized by the index numbers I.M.I. 104437 (Commonwealth Mycological Institute) and 15383 (American Type Culture Collection), in a nutrient medium in submerged culture, under aerobic conditions, preferably at pH 4.4-6.0 and at 22-30 DEG C. The nutrient medium suitably contains ammonium salts, amino acids, peptides, proteins and their hydrolysates, meat extracts, cavein hydrolysates, hydrosoluble fractions of cereals, distillation residues from alcohol production, yeast, leguminous seed meals, inorganic nitrates, guanidine, urea or indole as a source of nitrogen, an organic carbon source, e.g. a carbohydrate or an oil, e.g. olive oil, and inorganic salts. The products are extracted and separated by treatment with organic solvents. Ergotaminine may be isomerized into ergotamine by treatment with acids. Specifications 755,555 and 837,423 are referred to.