http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/763 2026-01-07T06:14:17Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1059 Variations in Carotenoid Profiles of Pulp Morphological Fruit Types of Palmyrah from Kalpitiya Wijemanne, P.R.; Rajapaksha, R.A.N.K.; Priyadarshani, A.M.B.; Jansz, E.R. Depending on the morphology of fruit, palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) had been classified in 5 types. On extraction, total carotenoid of the types from Kalpitiya was found to vary from 3.3-9.3 mg.lnug' fresh weight. On separation by open column chromatography using a solvent gradient, carotenoids of the 5 types of fruit were found to vary markedly. Type Iwas dom inated by violaxanthin and neoxanthin, type IIA by neoxanthin, ~-zeacarotene, violaxanthin and phytofluene, type lIB by phytoene, phytofluene, violaxanthin and neoxanthin, Type III by phytoene and violaxanthin and type IV by phytofluene and zeta-carotene. Of the nine carotenoids isolated only ~-carotene and ~-zeacarotene are provitamin A. The 5 types gave varying retinol equivalent 18, 155,32,21 and 33 per 100g on fresh weight basis for types I to IV respectively. The carotenoid profile differed from those of the same types previously collected from Mannar with the carotenoid content five to twelve fold more in the latter, However a common feature was that lycopene and compounds of the right fork of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were not detected from all types except the uncommon type IV (found only in Kalpitiya), indicating that the main types had a similar genetic overall biosynthetic motif. The variation of contents of the individual components of the left fork from location to location could be influenced by climatic and edaphic factors too. Type IV which had considerable morphological differences appears much less related to the other types. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1058 The Effect of the Fruit Pulp of Four Cultivars of Palmyrah on Serum Cholesterol Levels in Mice Pathberiya, L. Gayathri; Jansz, E.R. Four types of the most common paJrnyrah fruit pulp (Borassusflabel/ifer L) were chosen on the basis of morphology of fruit. On feeding to ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice at 10% level all types of pulp lowered total cholesterol in ICR mice by 24 - 34 % relative to control. Total cholesterol was lower in all types. The p values of total serum cholesterol were: 0.04,0.02,0.0035,0.0007 for type 1,II, III, IV respectively. The effect on HDL cholesterol was widely different for the 4 types of pulp. The mechanism of lowering of cholesterol appears complex, probably involving: dietary fibre, flabeUiferin profile and content and perhaps other factors. The well-known cholesterol reducing agents in plants, which are the free phytosterols, are not present in palmyrah fruit pulp. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1057 The Carbohydrate Moieties of Some Flabelliferins (Steroidal saponins) of Palmyrah Fruit Pulp Ariyasena, Darshika D.; Jansz, E.R. The trifluoro acetic acid hydrolysed flabelliferins were silylated and analyzed by GCIEIIMS. 'H and llC-NMR. Methylation studies showed that the carbohydrate moiety of F; (M.W. 722) contained arhamnosyl residue linked a - 1.4 to a glucosyl residue. which is attached to ~-sitosterol. by a ~ anomeric linkage. Study of chemical shifts and coupling constants showed that glucose (glc) had a!3 anomeric configuration. Fa was a steroidal triglycoside (M.w. 868) with a rharnnosyl terminus. The carbohydrate moiety of the saponin showed the presence of a branched structure with two rharnnosyl residues linked a-1.2 and a-l,4 to a glucosyl residue, which is attached to the aglycone by a ~ glucoside linkage. Flabelliferin FF was shown to be a monoglucoside with a !3linked glucosyl residue. Anew triglycoside FN(MW 884) was shown to have a carbohydrate moiety of two glucosyl and one rhamnosyl residues with a glucosyl terminus, the second glucosyl residue was attached to (3-sitosterol. Another flabelliferin (FE)' which was isolated for the Firsttime, was adiglucoside ofMW. 738. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1056 Some Studies on the Neurotoxic Effect of Palmyrah odiyal Flour Perera, P.Shiromi; Jansz, E.R.; Peiris, H. Three decades ago palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) flour (odiyal) was shown to have neurotoxic and hepatotoxic effects. Previous studies have shown that both toxicities can be destroyed by dry heat at 80°C for 45 minutes. This study showed that the toxin, which has been elusive for so long, is probably due to a mixture of molecules requiring synergism. Evidence supporting mitochondrial damage is provided showing that palrnyrah flour water extract causes hyperammonaemia and that the urea cycle is affected. There is no evidence for muscle and kidney damage as serum creatinine levels did not change with the neurotoxic symptoms. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z