Browsing by Author "Salim, N."

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Antinociceptive activity of aqueous extract of Psychotriasarmentosa leaves
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ratnayake, W.M.K.M.; Chandrika, U.G.; Suresh, T.M.; Abeysekera, A.M.; Salim, N.
BACKGROUND: Adverse side effects caused by NSAIDS and other existing allopathic analgesic agents have made these drugs unwelcoming to many. The search for alternative therapies has intensified over the years. Consequently, the investigations on the efficacy of plant based drugs used in traditional medicine has been seen as a fruitful research strategy in the search for new analgesic drugs due to possibly lesser side effects as well as the low cost. Indigenous healers in Sri Lanka prescribe an aqueous extract of leaves of Psychotriasarmentosa (named “Gonica” in Sinhala; Family: Rubiaceae) for individuals who have been physically assaulted, indicating that it may possess potent analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory activity. OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that aqueous extract of P. sarmentosa has significant anti-inflammatory activity and the general objective of the present study was to determine the antinociceptive activity of this preparation. METHODS: Acetic acid induced writhing method was conducted to evaluate the analgesic activity on male Wistar rats. Data analysis was carried out using one-way analysis variance (ANOVA) and results with p <0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The results showed that the treatment with 100 mg/kg of freeze dried aqueous extract of P. sarmentosa leaves significantly reduced the abdominal contractions induced by the intra-peritoneal administration of acetic acid solution when compared to the control. The percentage inhibition of it was found to be 44.4 % whereas it was 50.8 % for acetyl salicylic acid. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary observations provide evidence for the antinociceptive properties of leaves of P. sarmentosa as claimed in folk medicine.
Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) infection of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) in Sri Lanka
(Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, 2018 Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Abeykoon, A.M.S.K.; Basnayake, B.M.V.S.; Salim, N.
Viral diseases are serious constraints to the productivity and profitability of cucurbit crops. Although many popular cucurbitaceous fruits and vegetables are grown in various regions in Sri Lanka, only a few published information is available on viral diseases of these crops. Rapid spreading of a virus-like disease with severe leaf yellowing symptoms in many cultivated cucurbits in Sri Lanka has been observed recently. However, the exact causative agent/agents is/are still not known. The diseased samples of Momordica charantia (bitter gourd), Trichosanthes cucumerina (snake gourd) and Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin) were collected from seven different geographically separated locations. The double stranded RNA (dsRNA) form of the viruses was extracted from those samples for preliminary detection of RNA viruses by CF 11 cellulose micro-spin column method. Of twenty six samples collected, four pumpkin samples showed two distinct dsRNA bands of different molecular weights indicating the bipartite nature of their genomes. The corresponding viral genomes (ssRNAs) obtained from the dsRNA samples were subjected to reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR using primers specific for the two bipartite ssRNA viruses known to infect cucurbits: Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) Cp-1F/1R and Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) 410L-1F/1R. The expected amplicon of approximately 800 bp for CCYV was observed from pumpkins that were growing in widely separated geographical regions; Balangoda and Mullaitivu. The reproducible results indicated the association of CCYV with pumpkin which has not been reported from Sri Lanka previously.