Department of
CHEMISTRY

Dr. (Mrs.) Chandani Ranasinghe

B.Sc (Peradeniya) ; M.Phil (Peradeniya); M.I.Chem.C; Chartered Chemist Ph.D (Sri Jayewardenepura)

Senior Lecturer (Grade I)

Department of Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Analysis, standardization and quality control of Ayurvedic drugs, Natural products chemistry, Biological activity studies on medicinal plants, Value addition to natural products

(1) Senior Lecturer (Grade II) in Chemistry at The Open University of Sri Lanka:  March 2011 – to date

(2) Lecturer in Chemistry at The Open University of Sri Lanka:  April 2005 – March 2011

(3) Senior Educational Assistant at The Open University of Sri Lanka: May 2004 – April 2005

(4) Educational Assistant at The Open University of Sri Lanka: April 1993 – May 2004

(5) Demonstrator at The Open University of Sri Lanka: Sept. 1992 – April 1993

Positions held:   Research

(1) Research Assistant at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Feb. 2005 – April 2009

(2) Research Assistant at the Medical Research Institute: June 1989 – Sept. 1992

CYU4302 (Practical Chemistry II)

CYU4303 (Organic Chemistry II)

Ongoing Research:

1. ‘Investigation of hypocholesterolemic activity of plant extracts (Family –Euphorbiaceae) and mechanisms of action’‘Preparation of cost effective synthetic skin grafts for the treatment of burns and chronic ulcer wounds: bioactivity directed investigation of angiogenic and cell-migration potentials of plant extracts’

2. ‘Anti-oxidant activity of hypocholesterolemic Euphorbiaceous species and characterization of compounds isolated from hypocholesterolemic fractions of Phyllanthus maderaspatensis

2. ‘Sustainable utilization of Gyrinops walla: Production of Agarwood type fragrant constituents using calli/cell suspensions’

“A study of some anthraquinones of Rubia cordifolia L. incorporated into Pinda oil: An Ayurvedic medicinal oil used for topical application in dermatological and inflammatory conditions”, Abeysekera Ajita Mahendra, Gunaherath Kamal Bandara, Ranasinghe Chandani, Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm., 2014, 5(3), 334-338 pp



  • “Ayurvedic medicinal oils: Selective incorporation of Rubia cordifolia into ‘Pinda’ oil”, C. Ranasinghe, A. M. Abeysekera and G. M. K. B. Gunaherath, Proceedings of 63rd sessions of SLAAS, Part 1, 2007, 198 -199
  • “Ayurvedic medicinal oils: Octanol–water partition coefficients of some compounds found in ‘Pinda’ oil”, A. M. Abeysekera, U. G. Chandrika, G. M. K. B. Gunaherath and C. Ranasinghe, Proceedings of 65th Annual sessions of SLAAS, Part 1, 2009, 131
  • “Analysis and standardization of ‘Pinda oil’–an Ayurvedic medicinal oil traditionally used for inflammations and dermatological conditions”, Chandani Ranasinghe, Ajita M. Abeysekera, G. M. Kamal B. Gunaherath, International conference on ‘Medicinal and aromatic plants in generating of new values in 21st century,Sarajevo, 9-12 Nov. 2011, Book of abstracts, Academy of sciences and arts of Bosnia and Herzagovina, Special editions CXL, p. 96
  • “Ayurvedic medicinal oils: Studies on appropriate technologies for the industrial manufacture of ‘Pinda’ oil”, C. Ranasinghe, A. M. Abeysekera and G. M. K. B. Gunaherath, International conference on Chemical Sciences, 20-22 June 2012, Book of abstracts, p. 128
  • A preliminary study on the effect of methanolic extracts of barks of Phyllanthus reticulates and Bridelia retusa on serum lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic rats (Mus norvegicus albinus) – P.G. M. kalpani, S. R. Weerkoon, S. Somaratne, N. Nilakkarawasam and C. Ranasinghe, Proceedings, The Open University Research Sessions- 2016, (17th and 18th November 2016), p. 57
  • Qualitative analysis of an Ayurvedic medicinal oil (‘Pinda oil’) and studies on lipophilicity of its constituents, Chandani Ranasinghe, Ajita M. Abeysekera and G. M. Kamal B. Gunaherath, Proceedings HTM2017 of The 2nd international seminar on herbal and traditional medicine- Value added of herbs and phytotherapy: challenges for the 21st century”, 25th -27th January 2017 Asia Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, p.113-120
  • A preliminary study on the evaluation of hypocholesterolemic activity of some Phyllanthus species, P. G. M. Kalpani, S. R. Weerkoon, S. Somaratne, N. Nilakkarawasam and C. Ranasinghe, Proceedings of 4th Ruhuna international science and technology conference (RISTCON 2017), January 26 2017, Abstracts and plenary lectures, p. 28
  • Optimization of the dosage of Phyllanthus maderespatensis (Family: Euphorbiaceae) to improve serum lipid profile in Wistar rats (Mus norvegicus albinus), Disanayake, D. M. L. C., Weerakoon, S. R.,  Somaratne, S., Ranasinghe, C. (2017). SLAAS Annual Sessions, December 2017.
  • Anti-hypercholesterolemic activity of Phyllanthus  reticulatus (Wel-kyla), and Glochidion zeylanicum (Hunu kirilla) methanolic extracts on Wistar albino rats (Mus norvegicus albinus) Dissanayaka, D. M. L. C., Weerakoon, S.R., Somaratne, S., Nilakarawasam, N., Ranasinghe, C. (2018),  Proceedings of 5th Ruhuna International Science and Technology Conference (RISTCON 2018), University of Ruhuna, Matara, February 15, 2018, Abstracts and plenary lectures, p. 16
  • Anti-hypercholesterolemic activity of Phyllanthus  reticulatus (Wel-kyla), and Glochidion zeylanicum (Hunu kirilla) methanolic extracts on Wistar albino rats (Mus norvegicus albinus) Dissanayaka, D. M. L. C., Weerakoon, S. R., Somaratne, S., Nilakarawasam, N., Ranasinghe, C. (2018), Proceedings of 5th Ruhuna International Science and Technology Conference (RISTCON 2018), University of Ruhuna, Matara, February 15, 2018, Abstracts and plenary lectures, p. 16
  • S. P. Munasinghe, S. R. Weerakoon, S. Somaratne, C. Ranasinghe, (2018), Effects of coconut water on callus induction of Gyrinops wallaGeatner (‘Walla Patta’), Proceedings of the iOURS 2018, Open University Research sessions, 29th and 30th November 2018, Book of abstracts, p. 116

1. ‘Microbial biotransformation of some lupane triterpenoids’

2. ‘Investigation of the effect of the solid waste dumping site Karadiyana on close by water body’

  • Life member of SLAAS
  • Life member of Institute of Chemistry
  • Life member of SLAAS
  • Life member of Institute of Chemistry