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Professor Dulcie Mulholland

Head of Department of Chemistry

Qualifications: B.Sc, B.Sc(Hons), M.Sc, PhD(Natal)

Email:
Phone: Work: 01483 68 6827
Room no: 36 AZ 03

Further information

Biography

Dulcie Mulholland was born in Durban, South Africa. She studied at the University of Natal, graduating with a BSc in 1975 and BSc(Hons) in 1976 in Chemistry and Cell Biology. She continued to complete a MSc degree in 1977 and PhD in 1979 at the same institution in the field of Natural Products Chemistry under the supervision of the late Professor David Taylor. Her PhD research was on the Chemistry of the Meliaceae.

After her PhD, Dulcie worked as a technical officer on the Chlor-Alkali plant at AECI in Umbogintwini, south of Durban, and her responsibilities included a halothane plant and chlorinated wax plant. After a career break with two children, she started part time teaching at the University of Natal, and in 1991 was appointed as a lecturer at this institution where she led the Natural Products Research Group. In 2000 she was appointed as Professor of Organic Chemistry and took over as Head of School of Pure and Applied Chemistry in 2002. In 2004 she became Head of School of Chemistry at the new University of KwaZulu-Natal, formed by the merger of the University of Natal and University of Durban-Westville. In 2006, Dulcie moved to the University of Surrey as Professor of Biological Chemistry and was appointed Head of Division of Chemical Sciences in October, 2008.

Dulcies outside interests include listening to music (she sometimes still plays the piano and violin) and spending time with her family. 

Research Interests

Dulcies research interests are in the field of natural products chemistry and related fields. She has published over 160 papers in the fields of phytochemistry, synthetic and analytical chemistry. In addition, she has supervised the completion of 23 PhD degrees and 25 research MSc degrees. Her particular interests lie in the phytochemistry of the Meliaceae, Ptaeroxylaceae and Hyacinthaceae families.

Her group has strong links with the following researchers:
- Professor Neil Crouch (South African National Institute for Biodiversity, Durban, South Africa)
- Dr Milijaona Randrianarivelojosia (Pasteur Institute, Antananarivo, Madagascar)
- Dr Fabio Fusi, (University of Siena, Italy)
- Dr Philip Coombes (University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban)

Research Collaborations

- Professor Neil Crouch (South African National Institute for Biodiversity, Durban, South Africa)
- Dr Milijaona Randrianarivelojosia (Pasteur Institute, Antananarivo, Madagascar)
- Dr Fabio Fusi, (University of Siena, Italy)
- Dr Philip Coombes (University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban)

Publications

Highlights

  • Langat MK, Crouch NR, Smith PJ, Mulholland DA. (2011) 'Cembranolides from the Leaves of Croton gratissimus.'. J Nat Prod,
    doi: 10.1021/np2002012
  • Mulholland DA, Langat MK, Crouch NR, Coley HM, Mutambi EM, Nuzillard JM. (2010) 'Cembranolides from the stem bark of the southern African medicinal plant, Croton gratissimus (Euphorbiaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 71 (11-12), pp. 1381-1386.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.05.014
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7396/
  • Fusi F, Cavalli M, Mulholland D, Crouch N, Coombes P, Dawson G, Bova S, Sgaragli G, Saponara S. (2010) 'Cardamonin Is a Bifunctional Vasodilator that Inhibits Ca(v)1.2 Current and Stimulates K(Ca)1.1 Current in Rat Tail Artery Myocytes'. AMER SOC PHARMACOLOGY EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS J PHARMACOL EXP THER, 332 (2), pp. 531-540.
    doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.161265
  • Cheplogoi PK, Mulholland DA, Coombes PH, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2008) 'An azole, an amide and a limonoid from Vepris uguenensis (Rutaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 69 (6), pp. 1384-1388.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.12.013
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7398/
  • Moodley N, Neil RC, Mulholland DA. (2007) 'Bufadienolides from drimia macrocentra and urginea riparia (Hyacinthaceae: urgineoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 68 (19), pp. 2415-2419.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.05.023

Journal articles

  • Mulholland DA, Mohammed AMA, Coombes PH, Haque S, Pohjala LL, Tammela PSM, Crouch NR. (2011) 'Triterpenoid Acids and Lactones from the Leaves of Fadogia tetraquetra var. tetraquetra (Rubiaceae)'. NATURAL PRODUCT COMMUNICATIONS, 6, pp. 1573-1576.
  • Langat MK, Crouch NR, Smith PJ, Mulholland DA. (2011) 'Cembranolides from the Leaves of Croton gratissimus.'. J Nat Prod,
    doi: 10.1021/np2002012
  • Moodley B, Mulholland DA, Brookes HC. (2011) 'The electro-oxidation of lignin in Sappi Saiccor dissolving pulp mill effluent'. WATER RESEARCH COMMISSION WATER SA, 37 (1), pp. 33-40.
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7395/
  • Mulholland DA, Langat MK, Crouch NR, Coley HM, Mutambi EM, Nuzillard JM. (2010) 'Cembranolides from the stem bark of the southern African medicinal plant, Croton gratissimus (Euphorbiaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 71 (11-12), pp. 1381-1386.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.05.014
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7396/
  • Fusi F, Cavalli M, Mulholland D, Crouch N, Coombes P, Dawson G, Bova S, Sgaragli G, Saponara S. (2010) 'Cardamonin Is a Bifunctional Vasodilator that Inhibits Ca(v)1.2 Current and Stimulates K(Ca)1.1 Current in Rat Tail Artery Myocytes'. AMER SOC PHARMACOLOGY EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS J PHARMACOL EXP THER, 332 (2), pp. 531-540.
    doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.161265
  • Coombes PH, Mwangi EM, Peters BK, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA. (2009) 'The cyclobuta[b]quinoline alkaloid cyclomegistine from Teclea gerrardii I.Verd. (Toddalioideae: Rutaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 37 (4), pp. 494-496.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2009.05.009
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7397/
  • Mohammed AMA, Coombes PH, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA. (2009) 'Non-volatile isolates of two Heteropyxis species: A first chemotaxonomic assessment of subfamily Psiloxyloideae (Myrtaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 37 (3), pp. 241-243.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2009.03.006
  • Douwes E, Crouch NR, Edwards TJ, Mulholland DA. (2008) 'Regression analyses of southern African ethnomedicinal plants: informing the targeted selection of bioprospecting and pharmacological screening subjects'. ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD J ETHNOPHARMACOL, 119 (3), pp. 356-364.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.07.040
  • Essop AB, van Zyl RL, van Vuuren SF, Mulholland D, Viljoen AM. (2008) 'The in vitro pharmacological activities of 12 South African Hermannia species'. ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD J ETHNOPHARMACOL, 119 (3), pp. 615-619.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.06.026
  • Mulholland DA, Crouch NR, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2008) 'Phytochemistry and chemotaxonomy of the Madagascan Cedrelopsis'. GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG PLANTA MED, 74 (9), pp. 914-914.
    doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1083913
  • Ndlebe VJ, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA. (2008) 'Triterpenoids from the African tree Phyllanthus polyanthus'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV PHYTOCHEM LETT, 1 (1), pp. 11-17.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytol.2007.12.002
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7399/
  • Fusi F, Ferrara A, Koorbanally C, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA, Sgaragli G. (2008) 'Vascular myorelaxing activity of isolates from South African Hyacinthaceae partly mediated by activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase in rat aortic ring preparations'. PHARMACEUTICAL PRESS-ROYAL PHARMACEUTICAL SOC GREAT BRITIAN J PHARM PHARMACOL, 60 (4), pp. 489-497.
    doi: 10.1211/jpp.60.4.0012
  • Cheplogoi PK, Mulholland DA, Coombes PH, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2008) 'An azole, an amide and a limonoid from Vepris uguenensis (Rutaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 69 (6), pp. 1384-1388.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.12.013
    Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7398/
  • Magadula JJ, Kapingu MC, Mbwambo ZH, Mulholland DA. (2008) 'Secondary Metabolites from Teclea amanuensis (Rutaceae) from Tanzania'. NATURAL PRODUCTS INC NAT PROD COMMUN, 3 (10), pp. 1683-1686.
  • Magadula JJ, Mulholland DA, Crouch NR. (2008) 'Triterpenoids from Anthocleista grandiflora (Gentianaceae)'. NATURAL PRODUCTS INC NAT PROD COMMUN, 3 (6), pp. 885-889.
  • Langat M, Mulholland DA, Crouch NR. (2008) 'New diterpenoids from Croton sylvaticus and Croton pseudopulchellus (Euphorbiaceae) and antiplasmodial screening of ent-kaurenoic acid'. GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG PLANTA MED, 74 (9), pp. 1068-1068.
  • Coombes PH, Mulholland DA, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2008) 'Vilasinin limonoids from Malleastrum antsingyense J.F. Leroy (Meliodeae : Meliaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 36 (1), pp. 74-76.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2007.06.010
  • Kapingu MC, Magadula JJ, Mbwambo ZH, Mulholland DA. (2008) 'Puguflavanones A and B; Prenylated flavanones from Baphia puguensis'. NATURAL PRODUCTS INC NAT PROD COMMUN, 3 (5), pp. 749-753.
  • Koorbanally C, Sewjee S, Mulholland DA, Crouch NR, Dold A. (2007) 'Homoisoflavanones from Pseudoprospero firmifolium of the monotypic tribe Pseudoprospereae (Hyacinthaceae : Hyacinthoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 68 (22-24), pp. 2753-2756.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.08.005
  • Moodley N, Neil RC, Mulholland DA. (2007) 'Bufadienolides from drimia macrocentra and urginea riparia (Hyacinthaceae: urgineoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 68 (19), pp. 2415-2419.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.05.023
  • Crouch NR, Langlois A, Mulholland DA. (2007) 'Bufadienolides from the southern African Drimia depressa (Hyacinthaceae : Urgineoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 68 (13), pp. 1731-1734.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.04.003
  • Penali L, Mulholland DA, Tano KD, Cheplogoi PK, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2007) 'Low antiplasmodial activity of alkaloids and amides from the stem bark of Zanthoxylum rubescens (Rutaceae)'. PRINCEPS EDITIONS PARASITE, 14 (2), pp. 161-164.
  • Du Toit K, Elgorashi EE, Malan SF, Mulholland DA, Drewes SE, Van Staden J. (2007) 'Antibacterial activity and QSAR of homoisoflavanones isolated from six Hyacinthaceae species'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV S AFR J BOT, 73 (2), pp. 236-241.
    doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2007.01.002
  • Waffo AFK, Coombes PH, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA, El Amin SMM, Smith PJ. (2007) 'Acridone and furoquinoline alkaloids from Teclea gerrardii (Rutaceae : Toddalioideae) of southern Africa'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 68 (5), pp. 663-667.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.10.011
  • Moodley N, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA, Slade D, Ferreira D. (2006) '3-Benzyl-4-chromanones (homoisoflavanones) from bulbs of the ethnomedicinal geophyte Ledebouria revoluta (Hyacinthaceae)'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV S AFR J BOT, 72 (4), pp. 517-520.
    doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2006.01.004
  • Tarus PK, Coombes PH, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA. (2006) 'Benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids from stem bark of the Forest Knobwood, Zanthoxylum davyi (Rutaceae)'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV S AFR J BOT, 72 (4), pp. 555-558.
    doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2006.003.014
  • Crouch NR, du Toit K, Mulholland DA, Drewes SE. (2006) 'Bufadienolides from bulbs of Urginea lydenburgensis (Hyacinthaceae : Urgineoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 67 (19), pp. 2140-2145.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.05.009
  • Koorbanally C, Crouch NR, Langlois A, Du Toit K, Mulholland DA, Drewes SE. (2006) 'Homoisoflavanones and spirocyclic nortriterpenoids from three Eucomis species: E comosa, E schijffii and E pallidiflora subsp pole-evansii (Hyacinthaceae)'. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV S AFR J BOT, 72 (3), pp. 428-433.
    doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2005.12.006
  • Koorbanally C, Mulholland DA, Crouch NR. (2006) 'Norlignans and homoisoflavanones from two south African Drimiopsis species (Hyacinthaceae : Hyacinthoideae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 34 (7), pp. 588-592.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2005.12.011
  • Randrianarivelojosia M, Langlois A, Mulholland DA. (2006) 'Investigations of the Malagasy species Tachiadenus longiflorus Grisebach (Gentianaceae): Linking chemical finding and traditional usage'. ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD J ETHNOPHARMACOL, 105 (3), pp. 456-458.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.09.044
  • Mulholland DA, McFarland K, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2006) 'Sesquiterpenoid derivatives from Cipadessa boiviniana (Meliaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 34 (4), pp. 365-369.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2005.11.005
  • Waffo AFK, Mulholland D, Wansi JD, Mbaze LM, Powo R, Mpondo TN, Fomum ZT, Konig W, Nkengfack AE. (2006) 'Afzeliixanthones A and B, two new prenylated xanthones from Garcinia afzelii ENGL. (Guttiferae)'. PHARMACEUTICAL SOC JAPAN CHEM PHARM BULL, 54 (4), pp. 448-451.
  • Waffo AFK, Coombes PH, Mulholland DA, Nkengfack AE, Fomum ZT. (2006) 'Flavones and isoflavones from the west African Fabaceae Erythrina vogelii'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 67 (5), pp. 459-463.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.022
  • Mulholland DA, Crouch NR, Koorbanally C, Moodley N, Pohl T. (2006) 'Infraspecific chemical variation in Scilla zebrina (Hyacinthaceae)'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD BIOCHEM SYST ECOL, 34 (3), pp. 251-255.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bse.2005.10.005
  • Mulholland DA, Langlois A, Randrianarivelojosia M, Derat E, Nuzillard JM. (2006) 'The structural elucidation of a novel iridoid derivative from Tachiadenus longiflorus (Gentianaceae) using the LSD programme and quantum chemical computations'. JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD PHYTOCHEM ANALYSIS, 17 (2), pp. 87-90.
  • Munro OQ, du Toit K, Drewes SE, Crouch NR, Mulholland DA. (2006) 'Experimental and theoretical studies of a naturally occurring non-oligomeric steroidal supramolecular zipper'. ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY NEW J CHEM, 30 (2), pp. 197-207.
    doi: 10.1039/b513734a
  • Coombes PH, Naidoo D, Mulholland DA, Randrianarivelojosia M. (2005) 'Quassinoids from the leaves of the Madagascan Simaroubaceae Samadera madagascariensis'. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD PHYTOCHEMISTRY, 66 (23), pp. 2734-2739.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.09.005

Teaching

Dulcie is responsible for co-ordinating the teaching of organic chemistry, spectroscopy and medicinal chemistry in the Division. She is Programme Director the Natural Drug Discovery and Design MSc programme which will begin in October 2009.

Membership of Editorial Boards:

  • Member of Editorial Board for the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
  • Member of Editorial Board for Letters in Organic Chemistry.
  • Member of Advisory Board for Planta Medica.
  • Subject editor for Phytochemistry for Phytochemistry Letters.

Awards and Appointments

2002 Visiting Professor, University of Cairo
2003 Fellowship of the University of Natal.
2003 Convocation Award for a graduate and employee of the University of Natal who has contributed significantly to the field of work engaged in at the University.
2005 Rockefeller Foundation Residency at the Bellagio Centre
2006 Honorary Professor, University of KwaZulu-Natal

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