Voacangine is an indole alkaloid derived from various species of Voacanga, indigenous to Africa. In the Pacific region,
voacangine was successfully isolated from Tabernaemontana aurantiaca (syn. Rejoua aurantiaca) from the coastal dsitricts of New Guinea by Ritchie and Taylor, University of Sydney, Australia in 1965. Voacangine inhibits angiogenesis in HUVEC lines in vitro and in vivo. Voacangine decreases the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α and its target gene, VEGF, in a dosedependent manner. Voacangine is a transient antagonist of thermosensitive TRPV1 and TRPM8, and an agonist of TRPA1. Voacangine is also active against Onchocerca.