Salman Ahmed (ORCID: 0000-0003-2033-0181) holds a B.Pharm. degree from the University of Karachi, Pakistan, and a PhD and M.Phil. in Pharmacognosy from the same institution. He has gained valuable experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked at Helix Pharma, Pharm Evo (Pvt.) Ltd., and Searle Pakistan Ltd. Currently, he holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacognosy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi, Pakistan.
Salman Ahmed has made significant contributions to the field with a decade-long career dedicated to teaching Pharmacognosy, also known as Natural Products Sciences. He has authored 125 research papers with an impact factor of 100 with 2297 citations, a h-index of 24, and an i10-index of 59. He has secured multiple research grants in Pharmacognosy (2021, 2018, 2016, and 2014) to study plants traditionally used for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and antidiarrheal purposes and their effects on digestive enzymes. Additionally, he has authored seven books and presented 16 posters at national and international conferences. Salman Ahmed's expertise is acknowledged by various esteemed journals published by Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, MDPI, Hindawi, and Dove Medical Press Limited, as he serves as an invited reviewer for these publishers.
Scientific Achievements (2011–2015): He pioneered a cost-effective copper sulfate-induced chick emesis model for evaluating natural antiemetics. His research explores antiemetic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties in Pakistani plants, herbs, and spices, reporting fixed oil's analgesic effects and discovering Bergenin as an antiemetic. He authored two state-of-the-art reviews on natural antiemetics, "Antiemetic effects of bioactive natural products" and "Natural antiemetics- an overview". He was awarded Nishan-e-Zafar by the University of Karachi in 2014.
Scientific Achievements (2016–2024): Dr Salman Ahmed pioneered glass slide models to grow Whewellite, Brushite, and Urate crystals for the evaluation of antiurolithiatic and anti-gout drugs, presenting key findings at international conferences such as MMDR-7, STEP-5, ISNPC-14, and ISNPF-2. His book “How to Grow Urinary Stone and Gouty Crystals on Glass Slide” provides detailed methodologies for replicating crystal growth in vitro and discusses the implications for understanding crystal morphologies, disease mechanisms and developing herbal treatment strategies.
Dr Ahmed's research highlights the antiurolithiatic potential of pentacyclic triterpenes and polyphenols. These compounds inhibit calcium oxalate crystallization, reduce oxidative stress, and modulate inflammation. They also promote nephroprotection, diuresis, and ACE inhibition, advancing natural therapeutics for kidney stone prevention.
His contributions include “Glossary of Globally Used Herbs and Animals for Urolithiasis” (2024), a comprehensive book exploring medicinal plants covering botanical families from A to Z and animal-based remedies covering their historical use, mechanism of action, and therapeutic spectrum against Whewellite, Brushite, and Urate crystals separately. His research on antiurolithiatic formulations compiles mono- and polyherbal remedies from diverse regions, including Appalachia, Canada, India, and the Middle East. His work provides critical data for future phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies, aiding in the discovery of safer, more effective treatments for kidney stones.
Additionally, he explores the anticancer potential of marine peptides against breast, ovarian, cervical, malignant melanoma, prostate, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, leukemia and lymphoma, advancing natural therapeutics for cancer treatment.