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Ergine, also called d-lysergic acid amide (LSA), is a naturally occurring ergoline alkaloid and the simple amide of lysergic acid. It is the principal psychoactive constituent of the seeds of several convolvulaceous plants, notably morning glory (Ipomoea) and Hawaiian baby woodrose (Argyreia nervosa), and it also co-occurs with related ergot alkaloids in fungus-infected grasses. Structurally it is the parent lysergamide from which lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is derived, and like LSD it engages serotonin receptors, in particular the 5-HT2A subtype that mediates classical psychedelic effects. Ergine is markedly less potent than LSD, and its subjective profile is generally described as more sedative and dreamlike than sharply visionary.
- Mild, dreamlike psychedelic state
- Relaxed, introspective mood shift
- The parent lysergamide of LSD, acting through the same 5-HT2A serotonin receptor
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness and heavy sedation
- Peripheral vasoconstriction, cold extremities
- Dizziness
- Uterotonic effect, unsafe in pregnancy
Mechanism
Ergine is a lysergamide that interacts with a broad panel of monoamine receptors. Its psychoactive character is attributed chiefly to partial agonism at receptors, the shared molecular target of the classical serotonergic hallucinogens; activity at and 5-HT2C receptors, and at -like and -like receptors, has also been characterized across the lysergamide scaffold. Structure-activity work on LSD analogues shows that the amide side chain is the key determinant of 5-HT2A binding orientation and functional efficacy, which helps explain why the unsubstituted amide of ergine is considerably weaker than the N,N-diethyl amide of LSD.
Because ergine retains the rigid ergoline ring system, it also carries the peripheral pharmacology typical of ergot alkaloids, including vasoconstrictive and uterotonic tendencies. The prominent sedation and heavy-bodied feel commonly reported with ergine, in contrast to the stimulating clarity of LSD, is thought to reflect a comparatively larger contribution of and actions relative to signalling.
receptor fingerprint
receptorAgonist
5-HT2C receptorAgonist
/ receptorsAgonist
receptorPartial agonist
Safetyrisks and cautions, not medical advice
Ergine is consumed almost exclusively by ingesting raw or extracted plant seeds, which contain a mixture of ergoline alkaloids rather than pure compound, making dosing unpredictable. Reported effects include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and peripheral vasoconstriction with cold or numb extremities, the last reflecting the ergot-type pharmacology that makes the compound inadvisable for anyone with cardiovascular or vascular disease and during pregnancy owing to uterotonic potential. Commercially treated ornamental seeds may carry fungicides or other coatings that add toxicity, and case reports document acute intoxication after seed ingestion. Not medical advice.
Subjective profileweighing the evidence above
Hard to recommend as an experience. The nausea, heavy sedation and ergot-type vasoconstriction usually outweigh the mild dreamlike state, seed material makes dosing unpredictable, and ornamental seeds may carry fungicide coatings. Genuinely unsafe in pregnancy and with vascular disease.
Resources
This entry is here for reference.
Research
- 1968first citedMorning glory seed intoxication: a case report.
- 2022most recentAnalytical profile, in vitro metabolism and behavioral properties of the lysergamide 1P-AL-LAD.
- 1.Indole-diterpenes and ergot alkaloids in Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) infected with Claviceps cynodontis from an outbreak of tremors in cattle.
- 2.Analysis of endophyte toxins: fescue and other grasses toxic to livestock.
- 3.Morning glory seed intoxication: a case report.
- 4.Lysergamides of isomeric 2,4-dimethylazetidines map the binding orientation of the diethylamide moiety in the potent hallucinogenic agent N,N-diethyllysergamide (LSD).
- 5.LSD and structural analogs: pharmacological evaluation at D1 dopamine receptors.
- 6.Pharmacological characterization of the LSD analog N-ethyl-N-cyclopropyl lysergamide (ECPLA).
- 7.Analytical profile, in vitro metabolism and behavioral properties of the lysergamide 1P-AL-LAD.
- 8.Return of the lysergamides. Part IV: Analytical and pharmacological characterization of lysergic acid morpholide (LSM-775).
8 listed here; entry last updated August 2026
Reviews
My notesprivate to this device
FAQ
Is ergine the same as LSD?
No. Ergine is the simple amide of lysergic acid and the structural parent of LSD, but it is far less potent and tends to be more sedative and less visually vivid.
Where does ergine come from?
It occurs naturally in the seeds of morning glory and Hawaiian baby woodrose and in certain ergot fungi, rather than being a purely synthetic drug.
Why does ergine cause nausea?
It is an ergoline alkaloid, and this chemical family produces gastrointestinal upset and vasoconstriction; seeds also contain companion alkaloids that add to the nausea.
Adverse effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness and heavy sedation
- Peripheral vasoconstriction, cold extremities
- Dizziness
- Uterotonic effect, unsafe in pregnancy