Associate Professor Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Women University Multan
Acting as Academic Director. Worked as ORIC Director The WOmen University Multan 2 years. Worked as Head of Department Biochemistry and Biotechnology 5years
Molecular Insights and Bioactive Spectrum of Vaccinium cyanococcus: Exploring its Role in Redox Balance, Immune Response, and Glucose Homeostasis Shafia Arshad, Aisha Sethi, Rida Siddique, Usman Wajid, Amina Riaz, et al. Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal, 2025 Background: Vaccinium cyanococcus (blueberries) is a perennial fruit from the Ericaceae family, and Vaccinium genus is recognized for its diverse health benefits largely due to their rich content of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins and other polyphenols. This study aims to explore the phytochemical composition, biological activities, and in silico perspectives of blueberry extracts. Methods: Methanolic and ethanolic extracts were prepared, and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties were evaluated using standard assays. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenols, and saponins in both extracts, with methanol showing higher efficiency in extracting bioactive compounds. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis identified various biologically active compounds, including 2-Isopropoxyethyl propionate, 3-Quinolinecarboxylic acid, and 7-Oxodehydroabietic acid, which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The methanolic extract exhibited the highest antioxidant potential (85% inhibition at 0.9 mg/mL) and anti-inflammatory activity (90% inhibition at 0.9 mg/mL). In silico docking studies further confirmed the binding affinity of imidazole and 2-Chloro-5-cyanophenylboronic acid to the 2X8Y protein, suggesting their potential for drug development. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that blueberry extracts hold significant therapeutic potential, particularly in the management of oxidative stress, inflammation, and diabetes. While methanolic extract performed better than ethanolic extract, further clinical studies are necessary to validate these findings and determine optimal dosages for disease management.
Advances in Diagnostic Approaches for Alzheimer’s Disease: From Biomarkers to Deep Learning Technology Muhammad Asif, Hamid Ullah, Nelofer Jamil, Musarat Riaz, Maryam Zain, et al. CNS and Neurological Disorders Drug Targets, 2025 Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurological disorder that affects humans and is a major contributor to dementia. It is characterized by cognitive dysfunction, impairing an individual's ability to perform daily tasks. In AD, nerve cells in areas of the brain related to cognitive function are damaged. Despite extensive research, there is currently no specific therapeutic or diagnostic approach for this fatal disease. However, scientists worldwide have developed effective techniques for diagnosing and managing this challenging disorder. Among the various methods used to diagnose AD are feedback from blood relatives and observations of changes in an individual's behavioral and cognitive abilities. Biomarkers, such as amyloid beta and measures of neurodegeneration, aid in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and brain imaging techniques like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Advanced medical imaging technologies, including X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography, and PET, provide valuable insights into human anatomy and function. MRI, in particular, is non-invasive and useful for scanning both the structural and functional aspects of the brain. Additionally, Machine Learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) technologies, especially Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), have demonstrated high accuracy in diagnosing AD by detecting brain changes. However, these technologies are intended to support, rather than replace, clinical assessments by medical professionals.
Association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in C12orf43 region with the risk of coronary artery disease Najma Qammar, Maryam Zain, Raheela Jabeen, Farah Deeba, Nadia Iqbal, et al. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2024 The genetics of organisms play a vital role in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), with its heritability estimated at approximately 50-60%. For this purpose, we examined the relationship between CAD risk and C12orf43/rs2258287 polymorphisms in the Pakistani population. In this study based on the genetic approach to dyslipidemia, a total of 200 subjects were included from the southern Punjab. The biochemical analysis of parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein) was carried out along with molecular analysis using an ARMS-PCR-based assay for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) C12orf43/rs2258287 to identify the genotype. Genotypes showed a substantial correlation with both family history and metabolic markers. The cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and blood glucose levels were higher while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was lower significantly (p<0.05) in cases than in controls. Age, pulse rate, diabetes, physical activity, smoking, family history, and dietary habits were also significantly associated (p<0.05) with CAD individuals. The SNP C12orf43/rs2258287 also showed an association with CAD in the population of southern Punjab. Based upon this study, it could be concluded that CAD is characterized by an unfavorable lipid profile in association with SNP C12orf43/rs2258287.
Techniques for Studying the Microbiome Maryam Zain, Saba Saba, Abid Hussain, Javeria Khalid, Sara Janiad, et al. Human Microbiome Techniques Strategies and Therapeutic Potential, 2024
Biogenic Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cleome brachycarpa Ayesha Ahmed Sumra, Maryam Zain, Tahira Saleem, Ghulam Yasin, Muhammad Farooq Azhar, et al. Plants, 2023 The therapeutical attributes of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in both conditions (in vitro and in vivo) have been investigated using different plants. This study focused on the green chemistry approach that was employed to optimize the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Cleome brachycarpa aqueous extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The characterization of obtained CB-AgNPs was undertaken using UV-visible spectroscopy, Atomic-force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Results suggest that CB-AgNPs synthesized via stirring produced small-sized particles with more even distribution. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were spherical with a 20 to 80 nm size range. In vitro studies were used to analyze antioxidant, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic potential under different conditions. The results also indicated that CB-AgNPs may have significant potential as an antidiabetic in low concentrations, but also exhibited potential antioxidant activity at different concentrations. Moreover, the anticancer activity against the breast cell line (MCF-7) with IC50 reached up to 18 μg/mL. These results suggest that green synthesized silver nanoparticles provide a promising phytomedicine for the management of diabetes and cancer therapeutics.
Discovering the anti-diabetic potential of pomegranate peel metabolites by examining molecular interplay with the thioredoxin-interacting protein Tahira Aslam, Amina Arif, Shafia Arshad, Fatima Muccee, Khalil Ahmad, et al. Frontiers in Medicine, 2023 IntroductionMedicinal plants like Punica granatum (pomegranate) have traditional uses against diabetes, inflammation and other diseases. The study was initiated to get an insight into the interaction tendency of P. granatum derived compounds with diabetes associated human thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). High glucose in diabetes induces production of TXNIP resulting in β-cells apoptosis. Its inhibition might reduce the diabetes incidence.MethodsTo elucidate the therapeutic potential of P. granatum peel against diabetes through GC-MS based identification of extracted compounds followed by application of computational algorithms. P. granatum peel extracts were screened for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and wound healing properties. Phytochemical and GC-MS based analysis were performed to identify the bioactive compounds. Molecular docking analysis was performed by Auto Dock Vina to predict the binding tendency of P. granatum derived compounds with TXNIP.Results and DiscussionThe peel exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities, which were attributed to phytochemicals like phenols, tannins and steroids. GC-MS analysis identified 3,5-octadien-2-one, 1H-pyrrole -2,5-dione, Beta-D-lyxofuranoside, 5-O-(beta-D-lyxofuranosyl)-decyl, diethyl phthalate, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, n-hexadecanoic acid, tetradecane, 2,6,10-trimethyl, bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, decane, 3,8-dimethyl, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in P. granatum peel extracts. Docking analysis revealed high binding affinities of bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and 9-octadecenoic acid with TXNIP i.e., –4.5 and –5.0 kcal/mol, respectively, reflecting these compounds as potent antidiabetic agents. This study validates the traditional uses of P. granatum peel and demonstrates how computational approaches can uncover pharmacologically active phytochemicals. The results suggest P. granatum peel is a promising source of novel therapeutics against diabetes, inflammation, and oxidation. Further studies on the optimization of identified ligands are warranted.
Drug delivery systems based on blood cells Aqsa Shahid, Aimen Zulfiqar, Saima Muzammil, Sumreen Hayat, Maryam Zain, et al. Nanotechnology for Hematology Blood Transfusion and Artificial Blood, 2021
Amplification, cloning and expression of the Reg3 Δ gene from mouse pancreas Pakistan Journal of Biotechnology, 2015
Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS): Its biology and drug targets for treating diabetic nephropathy Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014
Association of TLL1 gene polymorphism (rs1503298, T > C) with coronary heart disease in PREDICT, UDACS and ED Cohorts Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, 2014
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Biodegradable Textiles: Innovations and Applications M Zain, F Deeba, M Ayyaz, M Yasmin, S Mahmood, A Haider, M Shafiq Microbial Biotechnology in Textile Innovation, 203-240 , 2025 2025
Migraine: A Multifaceted Disorder Involving Neuroinflammation, Environmental Triggers, Treatment Strategies, and Machine Learning-Based Diagnosis * Muhammad Asif1,2, Nelofer Jamil3, Maryam Zain4, Mahmood Rasool5 Discovery Medicine , 2025 2025
ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL COSMETICS: A NANO TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH II Maryam Zain* National Journal of Biological Sciences 6 (1), 17-40 , 2025 2025
Molecular Insights and Bioactive Spectrum of Vaccinium cyanococcus: Exploring its Role in Redox Balance, Immune Response, and Glucose Homeostasis S Arshad, A Sethi, R Siddique, U Wajid, A Riaz, M Zain, F Zafar, ... Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Jo 9 (2), 179-187 , 2025 2025
The Role of Bioinformatics in Drug Discovery: Accelerating Target Identification and Therapeutic Development WAMCSS Aneeqa Munawar1,*, Maryam Zain2, Saif ur Rahman3, Muhammad Farooq4 Holistic Health: One Health Horizons: Integrating Biodiversity, Biosecurity … , 2025 2025
Hormonal Dysregulation Involved in the Development and Angiogenesis of Cancer * Maryam Zain1 , Areej Fatima2 , Shazba Aziz3 , Iqra Saleem2 , Tayyaba ... Foundations of Holistic Healing: Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 341 … , 2025 2025
Advances in Diagnostic Approaches for Alzheimer’s Disease: From Biomarkers to Deep Learning Technology * Muhammad Asif 1, Hamid Ullah2, Nelofer Jamil3, Musarat Riaz3, Maryam Zain4 ... CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 10, 1871-5273 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Biosynthesis and in vivo wound healing abilities of Dactyloctenium aegyptium-mediated silver nanoparticles used as hydrogel dressing M Zain, S Nayab, Z Rashid, A Aleem, H Raza, MD Yousif Process Biochemistry 147, 31-38 , 2024 2024 Citations: 18
Techniques for studying the microbiome M Zain, S Saba, A Hussain, J Khalid, S Janiad, S Mahmood, MT Cheema Human Microbiome: Techniques, Strategies, and Therapeutic Potential, 51-84 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Assessing the utility of hepcidin and total iron binding capacity in diagnosing iron deficiency during mid gestation AN Saif Ahmed, Muhammad Masood Ahmed, Suman Khan, Sana Fatima, Maryam Zain ... Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology 31 (6), 1721-1729 , 2024 2024
Green Synthesis and Evaluation of Mentha piperita meditated Iron Nanoparticles for in vitro Antibacterial Activity R Yousaf, M Zain, U Ijaz Available at SSRN 4970247 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in C12orf43 region with the risk of coronary artery disease N Qammar, M Zain, R Jabeen, F Deeba, N Iqbal, HMR Javeed, FS Alatawi, ... Cellular and Molecular Biology 70 (2), 24-29 , 2024 2024
Genetic variability of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri in South Punjab, Pakistan S Raza, H Riaz, F Zia, S Kanwal, S Khan, M Hassan, S Ullah, MA Qayyum, ... BioScientific Review 6 (4), 116-123 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Discovering the anti-diabetic potential of pomegranate peel metabolites by examining molecular interplay with the thioredoxin-interacting protein. T Aslam, A Arif, S Arshad, F Muccee, K Ahmad, U Khalil, S Razak, T Afsar, ... Frontiers in Medicine 10 (3389), 1322450 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Assessment of antibacterial and antifungal activity of cream incorporating silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized via ginger and garlic extract I Ikram, M Zain Journal of Xi'an Medical University 19 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi to improve soil organic matter and fertility HMR Javeed, M Ali, MSI Zamir, R Qamar, S Kanwal, H Andleeb, ... Sustainable agriculture reviews 61: biochar to improve crop production and … , 2023 2023 Citations: 6
Biogenic Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cleome brachycarpa HMA Ayesha Ahmad Sumra, Maryam Zain, Tahira Saleem, Ghulam Yaseen, Muhammad ... Plants 12 (7), 1578 , 2023 2023 Citations: 17
UNVEILING INNOVATIONS: THE SPECTRUM OF DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN BREAST CANCER SUBTYPES AZSSAAAMSHHBHAUMYDM Zain Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 30 (1), 7994-8008 , 2023 2023
Prevalence and In-silico Analysis of Cardiac Enzyme and Serum Lipid Enzyme in Acute Coronary Syndrome patients M Shafique, A Masood, H Mubeen, N Iqbal, F Deeba, R Jabeen, M Zain Frontiers in Chemical Sciences 3 (1), 1-15 , 2022 2022
Biological synthesis of nanostructured ZnO as a solar-light driven photocatalyst and antimicrobial agent AA Maryam Zain Ceramics International , 2022 2022 Citations: 76
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Elevated serum level of human alkaline phosphatase in obesity AR Khan, FR Awan, S Najam, M Islam, T Siddique, M Zain Age (years) 48 (8.8), 42-5 , 2015 2015 Citations: 80
Biological synthesis of nanostructured ZnO as a solar-light driven photocatalyst and antimicrobial agent AA Maryam Zain Ceramics International , 2022 2022 Citations: 76
Applications of nanotechnology in biological systems and medicine M Zain, H Yasmeen, SS Yadav, S Amir, M Bilal, A Shahid, M Khurshid Nanotechnology for hematology, blood transfusion, and artificial blood, 215-235 , 2022 2022 Citations: 54
Implications of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and other biomarkers in the development of cardiovascular diseases M Rasool, A Malik, TT Butt, MAB Ashraf, R Rasool, A Zahid, S Waquar, ... Saudi journal of biological sciences 26 (2), 334-339 , 2019 2019 Citations: 48
Isolation and Characterization of Plant Growth Promoting Antagonistic Bacteria from Cotton and Sugarcane Plants for Suppression of Phytopathogenic Fusarium Species FYH Maryam Zain, Sumera Yasmin Iranian Journal of Biotechnology 17 (2) , 2019 2019 Citations: 41
Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS): its biology and drug targets for treating diabetic nephropathy. M Zain, FR Awan Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences 27 (5) , 2014 2014 Citations: 40
Applications of nanotechnology in biological systems and medicine in Nanotechnology for hematology, blood transfusion, and artificial blood M Zain, H Yasmeen, SS Yadav, S Amir, M Bilal, A Shahid, M Khurshid Elsevier 2022, 215-235 , 2022 2022 Citations: 21
Biosynthesis and in vivo wound healing abilities of Dactyloctenium aegyptium-mediated silver nanoparticles used as hydrogel dressing M Zain, S Nayab, Z Rashid, A Aleem, H Raza, MD Yousif Process Biochemistry 147, 31-38 , 2024 2024 Citations: 18
Biogenic Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cleome brachycarpa HMA Ayesha Ahmad Sumra, Maryam Zain, Tahira Saleem, Ghulam Yaseen, Muhammad ... Plants 12 (7), 1578 , 2023 2023 Citations: 17
Challenges encountered in cancer care and management during Covid-19 in South Asian Countries SS Yadav, M Zain, P Sahai, S Porwal, V Chauhan Asian pacific journal of cancer care 5 (S1), 101-107 , 2020 2020 Citations: 12
Leptin correlation with obesity, diabetes and gender in a population from Faisalabad, Pakistan SS Najam, FR Awan, M Islam, M Khurshid, AR Khan, M Zain, A Bilal Archives of Medicine 8 (5) , 2016 2016 Citations: 12
Association of ACACB gene polymorphism (rs2268388, G> A) with type 2 diabetes and end stage renal disease in Pakistani Punjabi population M Zain, FR Awan, SS Najam, M Islam, AR Khan, A Bilal, N Bellili, M Marre, ... Meta gene 12, 109-112 , 2017 2017 Citations: 9
Association of Family History of Type 2 Diabetes with COMT Gene Polymorphism (I/D) in Pakistani Population M Zain, FR Awan, SM Baig J Down Syndr Chr Abnorm 2, 108 , 2016 2016 Citations: 8
Discovering the anti-diabetic potential of pomegranate peel metabolites by examining molecular interplay with the thioredoxin-interacting protein. T Aslam, A Arif, S Arshad, F Muccee, K Ahmad, U Khalil, S Razak, T Afsar, ... Frontiers in Medicine 10 (3389), 1322450 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi to improve soil organic matter and fertility HMR Javeed, M Ali, MSI Zamir, R Qamar, S Kanwal, H Andleeb, ... Sustainable agriculture reviews 61: biochar to improve crop production and … , 2023 2023 Citations: 6
Role of diagnostic factors associated with antioxidative status and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in patients with cancer therapy induced ocular disorders M Rasool, A Malik, MAB Ashraf, M Arooj, A Kiran, S Waquar, U Ayyaz, ... Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 25 (8), 1724-1728 , 2018 2018 Citations: 6
Inter-relationship of circulating biochemical markers of oxidative stress and comorbid condition in polycystic ovary syndrome. RA Mahmood Rasool, R Rizwan, A Malik, M Asif, A Zaheer, A Jabbar, ... Biomedical Research 29 (21), 3779-3783 , 2018 2018 Citations: 6
A case control association study of COMT gene polymorphism (I/D) with type 2 diabetes and its related factors in Pakistani Punjabi population M Zain, FR Awan, S Amir, SM Baig Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders 14 (1), 40 , 2015 2015 Citations: 6
Association of TLL1 gene polymorphism (rs1503298, T> C) with coronary heart disease in PREDICT, UDACS and ED cohorts M Zain, FR Awan, JA Cooper, KW Li, J Palmen, J Acharya, P Howard, ... J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 24 (9), 615-619 , 2014 2014 Citations: 5
A Green Nutraceutical Study of Antioxidants Extraction in Cleome brachycarpa-An Ethnomedicinal Plant AS TAHIRA SALEEM Sains Malaysiana 49 (8), 1915-1924 , 2020 2020 Citations: 4