Salimuzzaman Siddiqui

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Salimuzzaman Siddiqui

Born 19 October 1897
Lucknow, British India
Died 14 April 1994
Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality Pakistani
Fields Organic chemistry
Institutions H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, Karachi University
Alma mater Aligarh University
Doctoral students Atta ur Rahman
Known for Natural products research, chemical constituents of Azadirachta indica
Notable awards Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Pakistan, MBE, Fellow of the Royal Society, Pride of Performance
Religious stance Islam

Prof Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (19 October 1897 - 14 April 1994) was a leading Pakistani scientist in natural products chemistry. He is credited for pioneering the extraction of unique chemical compunds from the Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Rauwolfia, and is also known for isolating novel chemical compounds from various other flora. As the director of H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, he carried out extensive research with a team of scientists on pharmacology of various plants to extract many more chemical substances of medicinal importance.[1] In addition to his scientific talents, Siddiqui was also a painter, a poet, and a great connoisseur of music. His paintings were exhibited in Germany, India, and Pakistan.

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[edit] Early life

Salimuzzan was born in Subeha (Barabanki District) near Lucknow on October 19, 1897. He received his early education from Lucknow and soon developed interest in literature, poetry and calligraphy from his father Sheikh Muhammad Zaman. After completing his matriculation, he joined the Calcutta School of Arts, and was a pupil of Rabindranath Tagore, the founder of the famous Bengal School of painting. After graduating from M.A.O College, Aligarh University in 1919. In 1920, he proceeded to University College London to study medicine from where he moved to Frankfurt University where he received Doctor of Philosophy in 1927. On his return, he established the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbi Research Institute at the Tibbi College Delhi, under the guidance of Hakim Ajmal Khan, which was inaugurated in 1931. He was appointed first director of the institute, a post which he left after Hakim Ajmal Khan’s death. In 1940, he joined Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research where he worked until 1951 when he migrated to Pakistan on the request of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.[2]

[edit] Pioneering research

Siddiqui's first breakthrough in research came when he successfully isolated the antiarrhythmic agent in 1931[3] from the roots of Rauwolfia serpentina. He named the newly discovered checmical compund as Ajmaline, after his mentor Hakim Ajmal Khan[1] one of the illustrious practitioners of Unani system of medicine in South Asia. Later on he also extracted other alkaloids from Rauwolfia serpentina that include Ajmalinine, Ajmalicine (C21H24N2O3), Isoajmaline, Neoajmaline, Serpentine and Serpentinine. Many of these are used today worldwide for treatment of mental disorders and cardiovascular ailments[2], especially as an antiarrhythmic agent in Brugada syndrome.[4]

He was also the first scientist to bring the Neem (Azadirachta indica) into the attention of natural products scientists. In 1942, he extracted three bitter compounds from neem oil, which he named as nimbin, nimbinin, and nimbidin respectively.[5] The process involved extracting the water insoluble components with ether, petrol ether, ethyl acetate and dilute alcohol. The provisional naming was nimbin (sulphur-free crystalline product with melting point at 205°C, empirical composition C7H10O2), nimbinin (with similar principle, melting at 192°C), and nimbidin (cream-coloured amorphous sulphur containing, melting at 90–100°C). Siddiqui identified nimbidin as the main active anti-bacterial ingredient, and the highest yielding bitter component in the neem oil.[6]

In acknowledgement of these revolutionary discoveries, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1946.[1]

In his later career, Siddiqui continued to discover and isolate numerous unique anti-bacterial compounds from various parts (leaves, bark, etc.) of the Azadirachta indica [7] and other plants.[8] He had more than 50 chemical compounds patented in his name[1] in addition to those produced as a result of his joint research with other colleagues and students.[9] Most of these discoveries have become vital ingredient of various medicines.[10]

[edit] Research leadership

After the emergence of Pakistan in 1947, he was entrusted by the Government of Pakistan in 1951 to organize scientific research activities. In 1953, he founded the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.[11] In the same year, he also established Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) in Karachi, with regional laboratories in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong (East Pakistan), and in Lahore and Peshawar (West Pakistan).[2] In recognition of his scientific leadership, Frankfurt University granted him the degree of D.Med. Honoris causa in 1958. Also in 1958, the Government of Pakistan awarded him with Tamgha-e-Pakistan. In 1960, he became the President of Pan-Indian Ocean Science Association. The next year, in 1961, Siddiqui was made Fellow of the Royal Society, following which he was given the Sitara-e-Imtiaz for distinguished merit in the fields of science and medicine, in 1962.[1] Siddiqui remained the director and chairman of PCSIR until the time of his retirement in 1966. At that moment, the President of Pakistan awarded him the Pride of Performance Medal for the respectable completion of his service.

In 1967, Siddiqui was invited by University of Karachi to establish a Postgraduate Institute of Chemistry in affiliation with the Department of Chemistry. Siddiqui was designated as the institute's Founder Director, whereas the additional research staff was provided by PCSIR.[12] In 1976, the institute was offered a generous donation from Hussain Jamal Foundation, as a result of which nd was subsequently given its present name. In due time, he transformed the institute into a distinguished centre of international excellence in the field of chemistry and natural products. In March 1975, he headed the National Commission for Indigenous Medicines[13] His tireless efforts for the promotion of science and technology earned him Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan in 1980. In 1983, he played major role in the establishment of the Third World Academy of Sciences and became its Founding Fellow.[14] He remained the director of the institute until 1990. Later on, he continued research in his personal laboratory.

[edit] Death and legacy

Siddiqui died on 14 April 1994 after a brief illness in Karachi. He was buried in Karachi University Graveyard. The academic and research institutes that he founded are still contributing to the international level research in natural products chemistry.

As person of multiple talents, Siddiqui was also a refined poet, musician and painter. In August 1924, he held his first exhibition of paintings in Frankfurt. Later in 1927, his works of art were exhibited at the Uzielli Gallery, Frankfurt. However, his passion for arts was superseded by the enthusiasm in scientific research. In 1966, he was at the forfront of setting up the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts in Karachi.[15]

On 14 April 1999 Pakistan Post, as part of its Scientists of Pakistan series, issued a commemorative stamp to honour the contributions and services of Siddiqui.[16] In the same year, the street leading to PCSIR Laboratories Complex in Karachi was named as Shahrah-e-Dr. Salim-uz-Zaman Siddiqui. In 2002, a research article published in journal Tetrahedron, authors Faizi and Naz dedicated their break-through research to the memory of Siddiqui.[17]

[edit] Awards and honours

Dr. Siddiqui was a founder-member of the Indian and Pakistan Academies of Sciences, and later a founder member of the international body the Third World Academy of Sciences. Among the many of his honours, following are a few:

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Akhtar (1996), pp. 400-417
  2. ^ a b c Sandilvi , A.N. (2003). Salimuzzaman Siddiqui: pioneer of scientific research in Pakistan. Daily Dawn. 12 April 2003. Retrieved on 19 July 2007.
  3. ^ Siddiqui and Siddiqui (1931). pp. 667-680.
  4. ^ Hong, Brugada, et al (2004)
  5. ^ Ganguli (2002). p. 1304
  6. ^ S. Siddiqui (1942), Current Science, vol.11, pp. 278–279
  7. ^ Ara, Siddiqui et al. (1989). pp. 343-345
  8. ^ Siddiqui et al (1989)
  9. ^ List of Patents at ICCS website. Retrieved on 8 June 2008.
  10. ^ Hong, Brugada, et al (2004)
  11. ^ He remianed President of the Academy between 1967-69. (See List of past Presidents of PAS. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  12. ^ Karachi: Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry at UrbanPK. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  13. ^ Homeopathic in Pakistan. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  14. ^ List of former members of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  15. ^ Central Institute of Arts and Crafts. at Takhti Exhibitions. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  16. ^ Introduction at Pakistan Post website. Retrieved on 5 June 2008.
  17. ^ Faizi and Naz (2002). pp. 6185-6197.

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