Dregamine was first reported in 1959 after its isolation from the apocynaceaeVoacanga dregei (wild frangipani), a native small tree of southern Africa.[1] The indole alkaloidtabernaemontanine is a closely related structure, differing only in the configuration of the ethyl group in the piperidine ring.[2] Both structures are reduced versions of vobasine. There was confusion in the original literature regarding the configuration of the ethyl group in these molecules, so that their identities had been reversed.[3][4]
Tryptophan was used as the starting material for a synthesis of dregamine. Its single chiral center provided the correct absolute stereochemistry required when elaborated to prepare the full multi-ring system of the target product.[6]
Plant metabolites have long been studied for their biological activity and alkaloids in particular are major subjects for ethnobotanical research.[11] Dragamine has been studied, for example as a potential anti-cancer agent,[12][13] for its antimalarial activity[14] and in antifertility research.[15] However, the alkaloid itself has not been developed as a drug and is known to be cardiotoxic.[16]
^ abNeuss, N.; Cone, Nancy J. (1959). "Alkaloids of apocynaceae IV. Dregamine, a new alkaloid from Voacanga dregei e. M.". Experientia. 15 (11): 414–415. doi:10.1007/BF02157683. PMID14426722. S2CID36370634.
^Renner, U.; Prins, D. A. (1961). "Voacanga-Alkaloide V. Verknüpfung von Vobasin mit Dregamin und Tabernaemontanin". Experientia. 17 (5): 209. doi:10.1007/BF02160617. PMID13740864. S2CID35816536.
^Knox, JR; Slobbe, J. (1975). "Indole alkaloids from Ervatamia orientalis. III. The configurations of the ethyl side chains of dregamine and tabernaemontanine and some further chemistry of the vobasine group". Australian Journal of Chemistry. 28 (8): 1843. doi:10.1071/CH9751843.
^Bombardelli, Ezio; Bonati, Attilio; Gabetta, Bruno; Martinelli, Ernesto M.; Mustich, Giuseppe; Danieli, Bruno (1976). "Structures of tabernaelegantines A–D and tabernaelegantinines a and B, new indole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana elegans". Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1 (13): 1432–1438. doi:10.1039/P19760001432.
^Kutney, James P.; Eigendorf, Gunter K.; Matsue, Hajime; Murai, Akio; Tanaka, Kiyoshi; Sung, Wing L.; Wada, Kojiro; Worth, Brian R. (1978). "Total synthesis of dregamine and epidregamine. A general route to 2-acylindole alkaloids". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 100 (3): 938–943. doi:10.1021/ja00471a047.
^Clivio, Pascale; Richard, Bernard; Deverre, Jean-Robert; Sevenet, Thierry; Zeches, Monique; Le Men-Oliver, Louisette (January 1991). "Alkaloids from leaves and root bark of Ervatamia hirta". Phytochemistry. 30 (11): 3785–3792. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(91)80111-D.
^Clivio, Pascale; Richard, Bernard; Zeches, Monique; Le Men-Olivier, Louisette; Goh, Swee Hock; David, Bruno; Sevenet, Thierry (1990). "Alkaloids from the leaves and stem bark of Ervatamia malaccensis". Phytochemistry. 29 (8): 2693–2696. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(90)85216-3.
^Kam, Toh-Seok; Pang, Huey-Shen; Lim, Tuck-Meng (2003). "Biologically active indole and bisindole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana divaricata". Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. 1 (8): 1292–1297. doi:10.1039/B301167D. PMID12929658.
^Babiaka, Smith B.; Ntie-Kang, Fidele; Lifongo, Lydia L.; Ndingkokhar, Bakoh; Mbah, James A.; Yong, Joseph N. (2015). "The chemistry and bioactivity of Southern African flora I: A bioactivity versus ethnobotanical survey of alkaloid and terpenoid classes". RSC Advances. 5 (54): 43242–43267. Bibcode:2015RSCAd...543242B. doi:10.1039/C5RA01912E.