Colin Duke

Senior Lecturer

Qualifications

BSc Qld, PhD James Cook MRACI

Contact Details

University of Sydney
Phone: +61 2 9351 2321
Fax: +61 2 9351 4391
Email:
Room S303
Pharmacy Building A15
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

Research Interests

Investigation of biologically active substances from natural and synthetic sources for therapeutic purposes and/or research tool(s)

Use of specific biological tests and screens are used to detect biologically active substances potentially useful for the treatment of viral, neurological, cardiovascular and other diseases. Isolation of bioactive substances detected in extracts of selected plants, their identification and evaluation as potential drugs, lead substances for drug development and/or research tools.

Syntheses of natural products and analogues, structure-activity relationships and drug design

Syntheses of biologically active natural and synthetic substances. Syntheses, analyses and resolution of chiral substances.

Characterisation of medicinal herbs

Investigation of the chemical profiles of selected medicinal herbs by extraction, analysis, identification and quantification of chemical constituents. Evaluation of medicinal effects attributed to herbs by examining published information about the pharmacological activity of the constituents or by subjecting extracts or isolated constituents to a relevant biological or chemical assay.

2004 Publications

• Mather LE;Duke CC;Ladd LA;Copeland SE;Gallagher G;Chang DHT;; 2004; Direct cardiac effects of coronary site-directed thiopental and its enantiomers - A comparison to propofol in conscious sheep. Anesthesiology. 34 (2):354-364
• Coxeter PD;McLachlan AJ;Duke CC;Roufogalis BD;; 2004; Herb-drug interactions: An evidence based approach. Current Medicinal Chemistry. 18 (3):1513-1525
• Jiang X;Williams KM;Liauw WS;Ammit AJ;Roufogalis BD;Duke CC;Day RO;McLachlan AJ;; 2004; Effect of ginkgo and ginger on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in healthy subjects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 59 (4):425-432
• Jiang X;Williams KM;Liauw WS;Ammit AJ;Roufogalis BD;Duke CC;Day RO;McLachlan AJ;; 2004; Effect of St John's wort and ginseng on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in healthy subjects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 61:592-599

Statement of track record

BSc studies in Botany and Chemistry majoring in Chemistry.
BSc (Hons.) and PhD studies on natural products isolation, identification and syntheses. From several species of Australian marine molluscs isolated natural dye precursors. A neurotoxin was also isolated and synthetic analogues prepared.

Studies were undertaken at the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University on the structure determination and synthesis of cytokinins (natural plant growth hormones). Independently a study was carried out on sugar phosphates in aqueous solution which included synthesis of isotopically labelled sugar phosphate derivatives.

Research and development of pyrethroid insecticides with Roche-Maag Pty Ltd, Australia and later studies on herbicides with Nippon Kayaku Co Ltd, Japan. As part of the studies on insecticides a novel patented method was developed to resolve enantiomers os carboxylic acids for use as insecticide precursors or for preparation of enantiomerically pure non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Studies carried out in the last 15 year in the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney include studies on possible carcinogenic metabolites of polycyclic azaaromatic hydrocarbons.

Recent studies involve investigation of biologically active substances from natural and synthetic sources for therapeutic purposes and/or research tool(s)

Specific biological tests and screens are used to detect biologically active substances potentially useful for the treatment of viral, neurological, cardiovascular and other diseases. Bioactive substances detected in extracts of selected plants are isolated, identified and then further evaluated as potential drugs, lead substances for drug development and/or research tools.

Research studies in collaboration with Professor Roufogalis identified novel bioactivity of a phenolic substance from an Australian plant.

Structure-Activity studies were carried out with natural and synthetic substances leading to a patent and major industry funded projects.
50 publications in high quality refereed journals and 2 patents