science and chemistry of Argyreia nervosa

The seeds contain 0.3% ergot alkaloids and are thus the most potent of all vine drugs. The ergot alkaloids aroclavine, ergine, isoergine (isolysergic acid amide), chanoclavine-I and -II, racemic chanoclabine-II, elymoclavine, festuclavine, lysergene, lysergol, isolysergol, molliclavine, penniclavine, stetoclavine, isosetoclavine, ergometrinine, lysergic acid hydroxyethylamide, isolysergic acid-hydroxyethylamide, and ergonovine (ergometrine) have been demonstrated to be present.

Chanoclavine-I is one of the principal constituents not just in Argyreia nervosa but also in most species of Argyria as well as in other representatives of the Family Convolvulaceae. The overall alkaloid composition is reminiscent of that of Turbina corymbosa. The related vine Stictocardia tiliafolia Hallier f. from Panama also contains large quantities of ergot alkaloids (ergine, chanoclavine-I, chanoclavine-II, festuclavine, lysergol, ergometrinine, lysergic acid-hydroxyethylamide, and ergonovine (ergometrine)