Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Pakistani organic chemist (Subeha, Barabanki District 19 October 1897 – Karachi 14 April 1994)

Authored over 400 scientific papers

Isolated alkaloids as ajmaline, ajmalinine, ajmalicine, isoajmaline, neoajmaline, serpentine and serpentinine from Rauwolfia serpentina many of these used worldwide in the treatment of mental disorder and cardiovascular ailments 

Discovered and isolated a number of antibacterial compounds from various parts of the neem (Azadirachta indica) and other plants

Extracted nimbin, nimbinin and nimbidin from neem oil (Azadirachta indica) displaying medicinal properties (1942)

Isolated three terpenoids with novel structures: nimolicin, nimolin and 17 β-hydroxyazadiradione from neem or Azadirachta indica (1972)

Isolated 6 new crystalline bases from Holarrhena anti-dysenterica  

Obtained Connessine, connessinine and connessidine from Holarrhena antidysenterica (1932), the first steroidal alkaloids in the literature

Reported harmine, harmidine, harmol, harmidol, tetrahydroharmine and amino-tetrahydroharmin from Peganum harmala

Isolated the catechol derivative bhilawanol (1931) from bhilawan (Semecarpus anacardium)

With Vakil established the antihypertensive activity of Rauwolfia extracts in human clinical trials

Isolated chaksine and isochaksine from Cassia absus L., the first alkaloids carrying a monoterpenic nucleus

With G. Hahn, V.N. Sharma & A. Kama. Constitution of chaksine. Nature 178:373, 1956

Held 50 patents (chemical compounds)

HONOURS

Gold Medal, USSR Academy of Sciences (1958)

Fellow, Royal Society of London (1961)

Pontifical Academician, Vatican Academy of Sciences (1964)

Doctor Honoris Causa, Leeds University (1967)

Doctor Honoris Causa, Frankfurt University (1958)