Selvaluxmy Kathirgamanathar

Publications (3)1.89 Total impact

• Article: Depsides isolated from the Sri Lankan lichen Parmotrema sp. exhibit selective Plk1 inhibitory activity.

  David E Williams, Frank Loganzo, Lauren Whitney, Jenny Togias, Richard Harrison, Maya P Singh, Leonard A McDonald, Selvaluxmy Kathirgamanathar, Veranja Karunaratne, Raymond J Andersen
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  ABSTRACT: Mitotic kinase enzymes regulate critical stages of mitosis and are amenable to pharmacological inhibition. Since natural products have been a rich source of antimitotic inhibitors, we postulated that natural products would also provide effective inhibitors of mitotic kinases. To explore unique marine and terrestrial natural product sources for new anticancer drug leads, we screened our natural product extract library for polo-like kinase-1 (Plk1) kinase inhibitors. Extracts of the lichen Parmotrema sp. (Parmeliaceae) exhibited in vitro inhibitory activity. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the Parmotrema sp. extract led to the isolation of depside inhibitors. A new depside 1 has been isolated from the Sri Lankan lichen Parmotrema sp. along with the known metabolites 2 (β-collatolic acid) and 3 (β-alectoronic acid). The structure of depside 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The three depsides 1-3 exhibited moderate inhibition of purified recombinant Plk1 kinase with IC₅₀ of 2.8, 0.7, and 1.7 µM, respectively, at 1 µM ATP. Inhibitory activity was also observed at high concentrations of ATP, suggesting the potential for activity in a cellular environment. The depsides were also tested against a panel of 23 other recombinant kinases and were found to possess up to 30-fold selectivity toward Plk1. These data suggest that the depsides 1-3 may serve as core structures that can be further explored as potential inhibitors of Plk1 and other kinases.
  Pharmaceutical Biology 03/2011; 49(3):296-301. · 0.88 Impact Factor
• Article: Chemistry and Bioactivity of Physciaceae Lichens Pyxine consocians. and Heterodermia leucomelos.

  Selvaluxmy Kathirgamanathar, W.D. Ratnasooriya, Peter Baekstrom, Raymond J. Andersen, Veranja Karunaratne
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  ABSTRACT: Cabraleadiol monoacetate, atranorin, methyl-β.-orcinolcarboxylate, zeorin, 4-O.-methylcryptochlorophaeic acid, and lichexanthone were isolated from the lichen Pyxine consocians Vainio... Heterodermia leucomelos (L)... Poelt contained a new triterpenoid, 6α-hydroxyhop-21β.H-22(29)-en, along with atranorin, zeorin, glyceryl trilinolate, and 3,6-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid. Cabraleadiol monoacetate, 4-O.-methylcryptochlorophaeic acid, lichexanthone, and 3,6-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid showed mosquito larvicidal activity against the second instar larvae of Aedes aegypti.. Lichexanthone exhibited human sperm motility enhancing activity.
  10/2008; 44(3):217-220.
• Article: Beta-orcinol depsidones from the lichen Usnea sp. from Sri Lanka.

  Selvaluxmy Kathirgamanathar, David E Williams, Raymond J Andersen, Karunananda Bombuwela, Dilip De Silva, Veranja Karunaratne
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  ABSTRACT: Two beta-orcinol depsidone lactones, the methyl ethers of menegazziaic acid and stictic acid were isolated along with glyceryl trilinolate and usnic acid from an Usnea sp. new to Sri Lanka growing on rotting trees of Acacia decurrans. Usnic acid exhibited potent antitermite activity against a common pest of tea, Glyptotermes dilatatus, at low elevations.
  Natural Product Research 11/2005; 19(7):695-701. · 1.01 Impact Factor