Dregamine was first reported in 1959 after its isolation from the apocynaceae Voacanga dregei (wild frangipani), a native small tree of southern Africa.

[1] The indole alkaloid tabernaemontanine is a closely related structure, differing only in the configuration of the ethyl group in the piperidine ring.

There was confusion in the original literature regarding the configuration of the ethyl group in these molecules, so that their identities had been reversed.

Its single chiral center provided the correct absolute stereochemistry required when elaborated to prepare the full multi-ring system of the target product.

[10] Plant metabolites have long been studied for their biological activity and alkaloids in particular are major subjects for ethnobotanical research.