Thusitha Udayangani Abeytunga

Thusitha Udayangani Abeytunga
University of Colombo · Department of Chemistry

Ph.D.

About

67
Publications
13,891
Reads
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894
Citations
Additional affiliations
September 2001 - September 2003
University of Arizona
Position
  • Visiting scientist
January 1988 - present
University of Colombo
Position
  • Professor (Full)
January 1988 - November 2015
University of Colombo
Position
  • Professor

Publications

Publications (67)
Conference Paper
Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) is a semiconducting metal oxide. By adjusting synthesis conditions, specific crystalline facets of Cu2O possessing different levels of catalytic activity can be synthesized. In this study, Cu2O nanoparticles having (111) crystalline facet as the dominating facet were synthesized by a surfactant assisted hydrothermal method. Syn...
Article
Full-text available
The Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) operation tested the Triple Helix model, which provides the theoretical framework for the development of Technology Transfer Offices (TTO) in 15 state universities in Sri Lanka. These TTOs are referred to as University Business Linkage (UBL) cells. The development followed a scorec...
Article
Full-text available
This study involves enzymatic extraction of fucoidan from Sargassum swartzii and further purification via ion-exchange chromatography. The chemical and molecular characteristics of isolated fucoidan is evaluated concerning its anti-inflammatory potential in RAW 264.7 macrophages under LPS induced conditions. Structural properties of fucoidan were a...
Article
The escalation of fine particulate matter (PM) air pollution has recently become a global concern. Evidence is fast accumulating on PM exposure-related skin damage. The present study explored the therapeutic potentials of fucoidan purified from Sargassum natans against damaging effects of PM exposure on human HaCaT keratinocytes. Fucoidan (SNF7) wa...
Article
Full-text available
Fucoidans are biocompatible, heterogeneous, and fucose rich sulfated polysaccharides biosynthesized in brown algae, which are renowned for their broad-spectrum biofunctional properties. As a continuation of our preliminary screening studies, the present work was undertaken to extract polysaccharides from the edible brown algae Sargassum polycystum...
Article
Full-text available
Context . Pleurotus ostreatus ( P.o ) is a culinary mushroom which is commonly called as “oyster mushroom” belonging to the Basidiomycetous fungi of the order Agaricales and family Pleurotaceae. Objectives . The present study investigates the anti-inflammatory potential of P.o and the underlying mechanisms of activity. Materials and Methods . Anti-...
Article
Increased levels of particulate matter (PM) air pollutants in East Asia have resulted in detrimental health impacts increasing morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological studies suggest a possible relation between the cutaneous exposure of PM and increased oxidative stress and inflammation which lead to skin lesions. The present study utilizes an int...
Article
Particulate matter (PM) air pollution has gradually become a widespread problem in East Asia. PM may cause unfamiliar inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and pulmonary tissue damage, and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms is required in order to develop effective anti-inflammatory agents. In this study, fine dust (FD)...
Article
Full-text available
Over the years, bioactive and biocompatible natural products have received increased attention as ingredients of cosmeceutical formulations owing to their robust properties compared to many of the synthetic chemicals in use. Many natural products derived from algae have shown promising cosmetizing properties. Seaweed polysaccharides, in particular,...
Conference Paper
Derivatives of benzoxazole are an important class of heterocyclic compounds with many potential biological activities. In this work, a benzoxazole enol-ester, (Z)-2-(benzo[d]oxazol -2-yl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)vinyl-4-methoxybenzoate, was synthesized by reacting 2-methylbenz-oxazole (1 equiv.) with 4-methoxybenzoyl chloride (2.1 equiv.) in the presenc...
Article
This article reports a study on amino acid chelated Cu(I) catalyzed coupling of benzylamine and bromobenzene. Experiments were conducted at 80 °C with Cu(I) chelated to methionine, proline, hydroxyproline, tryptophan and tyrosine in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). In order to investigate kinetic effects, reaction time was restricted to 90 min. Kineticall...
Article
Full-text available
Polysaccharides of marine algae exhibit different structural characteristics and interesting biological functions. In this study, crude polysaccharides (CP) of eleven Sri Lankan marine algae obtained through hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation were investigated for DPPH, alkyl, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities using electron sp...
Conference Paper
Prevention of insect bites is the first line of defense against Insect borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and filariasis and use of insect repellents is the most common approach among them. Eucalyptus citriodorais an effective plant based insect repellent that is proven to exert minimal risk to environment, wildlife and humans. The oil contain...
Article
Sphingolipids are important cell membrane components among the phospholipid bilayer. Sphingolipid themselves and breakdown products play a significant role in signal transduction. All sphingolipids have a sphingosine backbone which is a long chain amino alcohol. Structurally, Sphingadienes differ from sphingosines due to the extra unsaturation pres...
Article
This study determined the oral hypoglycaemic effect of suspensions of freeze dried and powdered (SFDP) Pleurotus ostreatus (P.o) and Pleurotus cystidiosus (P.c), using healthy human volunteers and Type 2 diabetic patients on diet control at a dose of 50mg/kg/body weight, followed by a glucose load. The possible hypoglycaemic mechanisms were evaluat...
Article
Full-text available
This study determined the oral hypoglycaemic effect of suspensions of freeze dried and powdered (SFDP) Pleurotus ostreatus (P.o) and Pleurotus cystidiosus (P.c), using healthy human volunteers and Type 2 diabetic patients on diet control at a dose of 50 mg/kg/body weight, followed by a glucose load. The possible hypoglycaemic mechanisms were evalua...
Article
Purpose: To determine the diuretic activity of Aporusa lindleyana in rats following its claimed use in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. Methods: Three doses (500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg) of the methanol extract (ME) of Aporusa lindleyana (Leaf and bark in 5:1 ratio) were orally administered to female, adult Sprague Dawley rats. Furosemide, vasopressin...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose: To determine the diuretic activity of Aporusa lindleyana in rats following its claimed use in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. Methods: Three doses (500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg) of the methanol extract (ME) of Aporusa lindleyana (Leaf and bark in 5:1 ratio) were orally administered to female, adult Sprague Dawley rats. Furosemide, vasopressin...
Article
This study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of Pleurotus cystidiosus, an edible mushroom, against Hep-2 cancer cells. Fresh P. cystidiosus mushroom was extracted with acetone (fraction A). Fraction A was extracted into hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate successively and the remaining fraction was labeled a...
Article
Pleurotus mushrooms are popular edible mushrooms all over the world. Studies on this genus have shown that these mushrooms possess anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, antinociceptive, antidiabetic activities and cholesterol lowering properties. Proteins, enzymes, polysaccharides such as glucans, and glycoproteins isolated from Pleuro...
Article
Full-text available
This study investigates the oral hypoglycemic activity of Pleurotus ostreatus (P.o.) and P. cystidiosus (P.c.) mushrooms on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Different doses (250, 500, 750, 1000, and 1250 mg/kg/body weight) of suspensions of freeze-dried and powdered (SFDP) P.o. and P.c. were administered to normal rats, and postpran...
Article
Nine aromatic acids were tested for their antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus. 3-phenylpropanoic acid was identified as the most active of the acids chosen for this bioassay. In general a 3,4-methylenedioxy substituent on the phenyl group reduces the activity against Staphylococcus aureus.
Article
Full-text available
The inhibition of lipid peroxidation by Pleurotus ostreatus was established using Thiobarbituric (TBARS) assay. Three solvent extracts of P. ostreatus namely, the acetone, dichloromethane and hexane extracts were used. All three extracts showed inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant indexes at 1.25 mg/ml concentration of acetone, dichlor...
Article
Pleurotus ostreatus. (Jacquin: Fries) P. Kummer (Tricholomataceae) was subjected to an antinociceptive activity-guided fractionation procedure in order to identify the fraction having highest activity. Three extracts, namely, acetone, dichloromethane, and hexane, were prepared at room temperature using fresh P. ostreatus., and 500 mg/kg was orally...
Article
The antinociceptive potential of Pleurotus ostreatus. (Jacquin: Fries) P. Kummer (Tricholomataceae) was investigated in rats (doses used: 125, 500, and 1000 mg/kg). Male rats and female rats in proestrous, estrous, and diestrous stages were orally administered 1000 mg/kg of freeze-dried P. ostreatus. and the reaction times on hot-plate and tail-fli...
Article
Full-text available
Many plant-based treatments are being recommended for the cancer patients by traditional medical practitioners of Sri Lanka. Three such decoctions D1 (Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula, Phyllanthus emblica and detoxified Commiphora mukul), D2 (Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula, Phyllanthus emblica, detoxified Commiphora mukul, Smilax...
Article
Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) have been implicated as playing major roles in cellular interactions and control of cell proliferation in muticellular organisms. Moreover GSLs and other sphingolipids such as sphingomyelins, ceramides and sphingosines serve a variety of roles in signal transduction. Hence, identification of structures of GSLs in different...
Article
This study was undertaken to study the antifungal activity of Pleurotus cystidiosus against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. This was achieved by fractionating the mushroom, P. cystidiosus initially to acetone (A), dichloromethane (D), and hexane (H) and studying the antifungal activity using the standard poisoned food technique. All the test soluti...
Article
Full-text available
Rhizoctonia solani is a fungus pathogenic in many economically important plants. Ten aromatic acids were examined for activity against Rhizoctonia solani using poisoned food technique. All the acids were inhibitory to R. solani. Three of the acids, at concentrations around 0.015% (g/ml), completely inhibited the growth of the fungus. Efforts were m...
Article
Full-text available
NMR and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry were used to show for the first time the presence of sphingomyelins in extracts of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera). The sphingosine in the ceramide was identified as tetradecasphing-4-enine, and the fatty acids were C18:0, C20:0, C22:0, and C24:0 (compound 1). Heterogeneity i...
Article
Berberinechloride was treated with Sodiumborohydride, Sodiumcyanide, Sodiumazide and Sodiumamide to obtain tetrahydroberberine, 8-cyano-8(1H)-berberine, berberine azide and 8-amino-8(1H)-berberine respectively. 8-cyano-8(1H)-berberine and berberine azide completely inhibit the growth of Rhizoctonia Alternaria, Colletotrichum and Fusarium at or belo...
Article
Full-text available
Nine aromatic acids were tested for their antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus. 3-phenylpropanoic acid was identified as the most active of the acids chosen for this bioassay. In general a 3,4-methylenedioxy substituent on the phenyl group reduces the activity against Staphylococcus aurens.
Article
The diol, mp 220 °C, obtained by KMnO4 oxidation of α-santonin is shown by an nOe study to be 4β,5β- rather than 4α,5α-dihydroxy-α-santonin. On further oxidation with Pb(OAc)4, it unexpectedly gives a new ketolactone, mp 268 °C, which is also obtained as a KMnO4 oxidation product of α-santonin.
Article
Full-text available
The benzophenone Schiff base of methyl L-threonate, C18H19NO3, M(r) = 297.36, crystallized as its cyclic methyl (4S,5R)-5-methyl-2,2-diphenyl-1,3-oxazolidine-4-carboxylate tautomer, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 8.455 (2), b = 12.648 (2), c = 14.650 (3) angstrom, V = 1566. (5) angstrom3, Z = 4, D(x) = 1.26 g cm-3, lambda(Mo Kalpha) = 0.71073 ang...
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Full-text available
Four spccies of fungi namely, Aspergillus fu.r,~igatus, Cheton~iuri. tlr~)rt)~ol~l~il ~', MLL(:OI. p~~silltis and l)ichoderma Itat-zircrlum were isolated ancl identified from straw and oyster compost substrates collected from the research station of Export Developmelit Board, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka. Frequency of occurrence of contaminants, Asl)ogillu...
Article
Full-text available
Extracts of twenty- one basidiomycctc fungi were tested against the bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus. Pseuciornor~c~s mruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella. Among them Volvariella oolvacea showed promising activity against E. coli. Ethyl acetatc extract of Voluariella uobacea wax fractiotiatcd to hexane and purified on normal ph...

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Question (1)
Question
Thank you Prof. Bates for all the efforts taken in teaching Organic chemistry to us! Interaction with you immensely helped us in conducting research.

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