Machine generated contents note: 1 The History of Ergot 1 -- Anacleto Minghetti and Nicoletta Crespi-Perellino -- 2 Biology and Life Strategy of the Ergot Fungi 25 -- Klaus B. Tenberge -- 3 The Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Claviceps 57 -- Sylvie Pazoutovi and Douglas P. Parbery -- 4 Genetics of Claviceps purpurea 79 -- Paul Tudzynski -- 5 Biosynthesis of Ergot Alkaloids 95 -- Ullrich Keller -- 6 Physiological Regulation of Ergot Alkaloid Production and -- Special Cultivation Techniques 165 -- Vladimir Kren -- 7 Ergot Alkaloids and Other Metabolites of the Genus Claviceps 173 -- Martin Buchta and Ladislav Cvak -- 8 Chemical Modifications of Ergot Alkaloids 201 -- Petr Bulej and Ladislav Cvak -- 9 Biotransformations of Ergot Alkaloids 229 -- Vladimir Kren -- 10 Analytical Chemistry of Ergot Alkaloids 267 -- AlexandrJegorov -- 11 Parasitic Production of Ergot Alkaloids 303 -- Eva Nemeth -- 12 Saprophytic Cultivation of Claviceps 321 -- Zdenek Malinka -- 13 Industrial Production of Ergot Alkaloids 373 -- Ladislav Cvak -- 14 Ergot Alkaloids and their Derivatives as Ligands for -- Serotoninergic, Dopaminergic, and Adrenergic Receptors 411 -- Heinz Pertz and Eckart Eich -- 15 Antimicrobial and Antitumor Effects of Ergot Alkaloids -- and their Derivatives 441 -- Eckart Eich and Heinz Pertz -- 16 Role of Ergot Alkaloids in the Immune System 451 -- Auna Fiserovd and Miloslav Pospigil -- 17 Toxicology of Ergot Alkaloids in Agriculture 469 -- Richard A. Shelby -- 18 Producers of Ergot Alkaloids out of Claviceps Genus 479 -- Anato,l G. Kozlovsky -- Index 501.