Effect of an ergot derivative on human lymphocyte chromosomes in vivo.

Chromosome examination was made from 12 healthy adult male volunteers by using human lymphocyte cultures twice before, and 8 and 12 weeks after continuous intake of 3 X 1.5 mg Hydergine, an ergot derivative, per day orally. The mean frequency of cells with aberrations and the number of aberrations per 100 cells after 12 weeks' medication corresponded well with those of control cultures. However, for unknown reasons, significantly different values were found after 8 weeks of medication at a level of 5%, i.e., the values of capillary blood culture C8W were lower than those of CI, CII and C12W.