Dr. Sameera R. Samarakoon
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Dr. Sameera R. Samarakoon

Lecturer
University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Highest Degree
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Medicinal Chemistry from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

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Area of Interest:

Molecular Sciences
100%
Parasitology
62%
Molecular Biology
90%
Medicinal Chemistry
75%
Cancer Biology
55%

Research Publications in Numbers

Books
0
Chapters
0
Articles
0
Abstracts
0

Selected Publications

  1. Ediriweera, M.K., P. Jayarathna, K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew, E.H. Karunanayake and A. Adhikari, 2018. Campnospermenone A, B and C, three new cytotoxic alkyl-hydroxycyclohexenones from Campnosperma zeylanica Thwaites leaves. Phytochem. Lett., 24: 114-119.
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  2. Tharmarajah, L., S.R. Samarakoon, M.K. Ediriweera, P. Piyathilaka and K.H. Tennekoon et al., 2017. In vitro anticancer effect of gedunin on human teratocarcinomal (NTERA-2) cancer stem-like cells. BioMed Res. Int., Vol. 2017. 10.1155/2017/2413197.
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  3. Senathilake, K.S., E.H. Karunanayake, S.R. Samarakoon, K.H. Tennekoon, E.D. de Silva and A. Adhikari, 2017. Oleanolic acid from antifilarial triterpene saponins of Dipterocarpus zeylanicus induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in filarial parasite Setaria digitata in vitro. Exp. Parasitol., 177: 13-21.
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  4. Samarakoon, S.R., M.K. Ediriweera, C.D.U. Nwokwu, C.J. Bandara and K.H. Tennekoon et al., 2017. A study on cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of a triterpenoid saponin (3-O-α-L-arabinosyl oleanolic acid) isolated from Schumacheria castaneifolia Vahl in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NCI-H292) cells. BioMed Res. Int., Vol. 2017. 10.1155/2017/9854083.
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  5. Samarakoon, S.R., C. Shanmuganathan, M.K. Ediriweera, P. Piyathilaka and K.H. Tennekoon et al., 2017. Anti-hepatocarcinogenic and anti-oxidant effects of mangrove plant Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea. Pharmacogn. Mag., 13: S76-S83.
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  6. Nwokwu, C.D.U., S.R. Samarakoon, D.N. Karunaratne, N.P. Katuvawila, G.K. Pamunuwa, M.K. Ediriweera and K.H. Tennekoon, 2017. Induction of apoptosis in response to improved gedunin by liposomal nano-encapsulation in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NCI-H292) cell line. Trop. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 16: 2079-2087.
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  7. Nwokwu, C.D., S.R. Samarakoon, D.N. Karunaratne, N.P. Katuvawila, M.K. Ediriweera and K.H. Tennekoon, 2017. Chitosan nano-encapsulation enhances gedunin cytotoxicity A gainst human non-small-cell lung cancer (NCI-H292) cell line. Drug Deliv. Lett., 7: 219-226.
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  8. Galhena, B.P., S.S.R. Samarakoon, M.I. Thabrew, S.F. Paul, V. Perumal and C. Mani, 2017. Protective effect of a polyherbal aqueous extract comprised of Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (roots) and Smilax glabra (rhizome) on bleomycin induced cytogenetic damage in human lymphocytes. BioMed Res. Int., Vol. 2017. 10.1155/2017/1856713.
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  9. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2017. Protective effects of six selected dietary compounds against leptin-induced proliferation of oestrogen receptor positive (MCF-7) breast cancer cells. Medicines, Vol. 4, No. 3. 10.3390/medicines4030056.
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  10. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2017. Induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by Sri Lankan endemic mango (Mangifera zeylanica) fruit peel through oxidative stress and analysis of its phytochemical constituents. J. Food Biochem., Vol. 41, No. 1. 10.1111/jfbc.12294.
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  11. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, A. Adhikari, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2017. Isolation of a new resorcinolic lipid from Mangifera zeylanica Hook.f. bark and its cytotoxic and apoptotic potential. Biomed. Pharmacother., 89: 194-200.
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  12. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon and S.R. Samarakoon, 2017. A review on ethnopharmacological applications, pharmacological activities and bioactive compounds of Mangifera indica (Mango). Evidence-Based Complementary Altern. Med., Vol. 2017. 10.1155/2017/6949835.
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  13. Senathilake, K.S., E.H. Karunanayake, S.R. Samarakoon, K.H. Tennekoon and E.D. de Silva, 2016. Rhizome extracts of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc induce caspase dependant apoptosis via generation of reactive oxygen species in filarial parasite Setaria digitata in vitro. Exp. Parasitol., 167: 50-60.
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  14. Samarakoon, S.R., N. Fernando, M.K. Ediriweera, A. Adhikari, L. Wijayabandara, E.D. de Silva and K.H. Tennekoon, 2016. Isolation of Hopenone-I from the leaves of mangrove plant Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea and its cytotoxic properties. Br. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 10: 1-6.
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  15. Samarakoon, S.R., C. Shanmuganathan, M.K. Ediriweera, P. Piyathilaka, K.H. Tennekoon and I. Thabrew, 2016. Screening of fifteen mangrove plants found in Sri Lanka for in-vitro cytotoxic properties on breast (MCF-7) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Eur. J. Med. Plants, 14: 1-11.
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  16. Samarakoon, S.R., C. Shanmuganathan, M.K. Ediriweera, K.H. Tennekoon, P. Piyathilaka, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2016. In vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of leaf extracts of mangrove plant, Phoenix paludosa Roxb. Trop. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 15: 127-132.
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  17. Mayan, K., S.R. Samarakoon, K.H. Tennekoon, A. Siriwardana and J.R. Valverde, 2016. Evaluation of selected natural compounds for cancer stem cells targeted anti-cancer activity: A molecular docking study. Eur. J. Med. Plants, 15: 1-21.
  18. Katuwavila, N.P., A.D.L. Perera, S.R. Samarakoon, P. Soysa, V. Karunaratne, G.A. Amaratunga and D. Karunaratne, 2016. Chitosan-alginate nanoparticle system efficiently delivers doxorubicin to MCF-7 cells. J. Nanomater., Vol. 2016. 10.1155/2016/3178904.
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  19. Jayarathna, P.P., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew, E.H. Karunanayake, E.D. de Silva and M.K. Ediriweera, 2016. Cytotoxic, antioxidant and apoptotic effects of twenty sri lankan endemic plants in breast cancer cells. Eur. J. Med. Plants, 15: 1-15.
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  20. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2016. Cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the bark of two common mango (Mangifera indica) varieties from Sri Lanka on breast and ovarian cancer cells. Br. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 10: 1-7.
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  21. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew and E.D. De Silva, 2016. A study of the potential anticancer activity of Mangifera zeylanica bark: Evaluation of cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the hexane extract and bioassay-guided fractionation to identify phytochemical constituents. Oncol. Lett., 11: 1335-1344.
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  22. Ediriweera, M.K., K.H. Tennekoon, A. Adhikari, S.R. Samarakoon, I. Thabrew and E.D. de Silva, 2016. New halogenated constituents from Mangifera zeylanica Hook.f. and their potential anti-cancer effects in breast and ovarian cancer cells. J. Ethnopharmacol., 189: 165-174.
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  23. Wickramasinghe, L.M., I.N. Bandara, D.R. Vidanapathirana, K.H. Tennakoon, S.R. Samarakoon and N. Wickramasinghe, 2015. Pseudophilautus dilmah, a new species of shrub frog (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from a threatened habitat Loolkandura in Sri Lanka. J. Threatened Taxa, 7: 7089-7110.
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  24. Piyathilaka, M.A.P.C., M.M. Pathmalal, K.H. Tennekoon, B.G.D.N.K. de Silva, S.R. Samarakoon and S. Chanthirika, 2015. Microcystin-LR-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human embryonic kidney and human kidney adenocarcinoma cell lines. Microbiology, 161: 819-828.
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  25. Mendis, A.S., I. Thabrew, S.R. Samarakoon and K.H. Tennekoon, 2015. Modulation of expression of heat shock proteins and apoptosis by Flueggea leucopyrus (Willd) decoction in three breast cancer phenotypes. BMC Complement. Altern. Med., Vol. 15. 10.1186/s12906-015-0927-6.
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  26. Samarakoon, S.R., S.B. Kotigala, I. Gammana-Liyanage, I. Thabrew, K.H. Tennekoon, A. Siriwardana and P.B. Galhena, 2014. Cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of the decoction of the aerial parts of Flueggea leucopyrus on human endometrial carcinoma (AN3CA) cells. Trop. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 13: 873-880.
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  27. Nagaratnam, N., E.H. Karunanayake, K.H. Tennekoon, S.R. Samarakoon and K. Mayan, 2014. In silico characterization of a RNA binding protein of cattle filarial parasite Setaria digitata. Bioinformation, 10: 512-517.
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  28. Silva, N., K. Tennekoon, H. Senanayake and S. Samarakoon, 2013. Metalloestrogen cadmium stimulates proliferation of stromal cells derived from the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. Taiwanese J. Obstet. Gynecol., 52: 540-545.
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  29. Samarakoon, S.R., I. Thabrew, P.B. Galhena and K.H. Tennekoon, 2012. Modulation of apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 cells) by a standardized herbal decoction of Nigella sativa seeds, Hemidesmus indicus roots and Smilax glabra rhizomes with anti-hepatocarcinogenic effects. BMC Complement. Altern. Med., Vol. 12. 10.1186/1472-6882-12-25.
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  30. Samarakoon, S.R., I. Thabrew, P.B. Galhena and K.H. Tennekoon, 2012. Effects of a standardized preparation of a decoction comprised of Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (roots) and Smilax glabra (rhizome) on the expression of p53 and p21 genes in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and livers of mice with chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Trop. J. Pharmaceut. Res., 11: 51-61.
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  31. Galhena, P.B., S.R. Samarakoon, M.I. Thabrew, G.A.K. Weerasinghe, M.G. Thammitiyagodage, W.D. Ratnasooriya and K.H. Tennekoon, 2012. Anti-inflammatory activity is a possible mechanism by which the polyherbal formulation comprised of Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (root) and Smilax glabra (rhizome) mediates its antihepatocarcinogenic effects. Evidence-Based Complement. Altern. Med., Vol. 2012. .
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  32. Samarakoon, S.R., I. Thabrew, P.B. Galhena, D. de Silva and K.H. Tennekoon, 2010. A comparison of the cytotoxic potential of standardized aqueous and ethanolic extracts of a polyherbal mixture comprised of Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (roots) and Smilax glabra (rhizome). Pharmacogn. Res., 2: 335-342.
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