Mycotoxins that are 3,4-substituted indole alkaloids are produced by the mold Claviceps purpurea. There are two types of ergot alkaloids: type I, including ergotamine, ergotaminine, ergocristine, ergocristinine, ergostine, ergotamine, ergosine, a-ergocryptine, a-ergokryptinine, (3-ergocryptine, P-ergokryptinine, and ergocornine; and type II, including ergine, arginine, ergometrine, ergometrinine, lysergic acid, isolysergic acid methylcarbinolamide, lysergic acid L-valine methyl ester, D-8,9- lysergic acid, ergosecaline, and ergosecalinine. Most ergot alkaloids are peptides of lysergic acid or isolysergic acid in cyclol form. Lysergic acid alkaloids are levorotatory and highly active pharmacologically. On the other hand, the isolysergic acid alkaloids are dextrorotatory and only weakly active. Thus, the biological activity of Claviceps purpurea can be ascribed only to the former type of alkaloids.