Nirmal Perera

About

Currently pursuing my PhD, focusing on identification of anti-cance compounds for lung cancer. Lung cancer has been estimated to cause the highest number of cancer deaths in 2023. Of two subtypes of lung cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequently reported. Currently used treatment options for NSCLC are chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. However chemo- and radio- therapies result in severe side effects. Therefore invention of new treatment strategies for NSCLC is timely needed. Investigations on plant derived compounds are becoming a promising approach for discovering potential anti-cancer drug leads. Mangifera zeylanica (family: Anacardiaceae) is a plant endemic to Sri Lanka and used for cancer treatment in traditional medicine. Previous investigations carried out at IBMBB have invented two novel anti-cancer drug leads which are active against breast cancers. In the current project, different solvent extracts from plant parts of M. zeylanica are studied for activity against NSCLC, and potential drug-leads againt NSCLC will be isolated. Structures of identified compounds will be elucidated using NMR techniques (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and mass spectroscopy). Assessment of anti-cancer mechanisms (effects on apoptosis and epigenetic modifications) of cytotoxic extracts/compounds will be carried out using real-time PCR.

Publications and Communications

Perera N, Ediriweera MK, Samarakoon SR, Selvakumar I, Nagarajan D, Vellingiri V, et al. Mangifera zeylanica and Mangifera indica leaf extracts exert anticancer effects possibly by inhibiting histone deacetylases. J Herbs Spices Med Plants [Internet]. 2023;29(1):98–113. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10496475.2022.2110348

 Selvakumar I, Vasudevan A, Perera N, Ediriweera M, Nagarajan D, Samarakoon S, et al. Mangifera indica and Mangifera zeylanica: Perspectives on medicinal properties, therapeutic applications and potential uses as anticancer epigenetic drugs (Review). Int J Epigen [Internet]. 2022;2(1). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3892/ije.2022.10

Perera AADN, Samarakoon SR, Ediriweera MK, Tennekoon KH. Isolation of a potential

anti-cancer compound from Mangifera zeylanica leaves and investigation of its effects.12th

Annual Scientific Sessions of the IBMBB.2023 May 31; Colombo 3 (SL). Colombo

3:IBMBB; 2023. p. 33

Perera AADN, Samarakoon SR, Ediriweera MK, Tennekoon KH. Isolation of an Anti-cancer

Compound from Mangifera zeylanica Leaves and Investigation of Potential Cytotoxic

Effects.3 rd International Conference on Frontiers in Molecular Life Sciences.2022 April 7;

Colombo 3 (SL). Colombo 3:IBMBB; 2023. p. 44