Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences publishes high-quality original research, reviews, short communications, case reports, and letters to the Editor in pharmaceutical sciences. It focuses on innovative studies across all fields of pharmacy, highlighting novel methodologies, original research findings, and contributions that advance the field.

• Drug Delivery Systems
• Biotechnological Drugs
• Drug Substances from Natural Origins
• Pharmacokinetics of Drugs
• Drug Synthesis
• Analytical Methods for Drugs
• Pharmacological Effects and Toxicology of Drugs
• Development of Drug Formulations
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Microbiological Drug Discovery
• Complementary Medicine
• Education in Pharmacy and Deontology
• Basic Medicinal Sciences, including Biochemistry, Physiology, and Histology
• Multidisciplinary Studies Related to the Above Fields

Manuscripts can only be submitted via the journal’s online manuscript submission and evaluation system.

Article Upload Process:

1. Dergipark User Page
2. Process
3. Submit Article
4. Article Parent Data
5. ... and so on, following the required steps in the system.

All manuscripts submitted to Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences are initially subjected to a technical evaluation by the editorial team. This process ensures that each manuscript has been prepared in strict accordance with the journal’s submission guidelines and formatting requirements. During this stage, the editorial staff does not assess the scientific content but focuses solely on compliance with technical and structural standards.

Submissions that fail to meet these requirements will be returned to the authors with detailed instructions for correction. Only manuscripts that successfully pass the technical evaluation will proceed to the peer review process.

Before submitting a manuscript, authors are strongly advised to review the journal’s policies to ensure compliance with its guidelines.

• The manuscripts must be prepared following the provided "template file."
• They should adhere to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (updated April 2025).
• During the evaluation stage, articles are examined using similarity scanning and plagiarism detection programs. The similarity index of the articles must be below 15% (including quotations but excluding references). Articles with a similarity index above this value are rejected without being reviewed. Authors must upload the similarity report for the full text of their work. 

FORMS

• COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP FORM
• ICMJE FORM
• MANUSCRIPT TEMPLATE
• PUBLICATION APPROVAL FORM FOR IDENTIFYING CLINICAL IMAGES
• PATIENT CONSENT FORM

Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with ICMJE-Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (updated in April 2025).

Guidelines for Specific Study Types

Authors must prepare their manuscripts in accordance with the relevant reporting guideline:

• Randomized research studies & clinical trials: CONSORT guidelines (for protocols: SPIRIT guidance)
• Observational research studies: STROBE guidelines
• Systematic reviews & meta-analyses: PRISMA guidelines (for protocols: PRISMA-P)
• Experimental animal studies: ARRIVE guidelines & Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th edition
• Behavioral & public health interventions: TREND guidelines
• Case reports: CARE case report guidelines
• Genetic association studies: STREGA guidelines
• Qualitative research: SRQR guidelines

To identify the most suitable guideline for your research, complete the Equator Network questionnaire. The journal also encourages authors to follow the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines to promote inclusivity in research.

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

Title Page

A separate title page should include:

• Full manuscript title and short title (≤50 characters)
• Authors' names, affiliations, highest academic degrees, and ORCID IDs
• Funding & support information
• Corresponding author’s details (name, address, phone, and email)
• Acknowledgments (for contributors who do not meet authorship criteria)
• Editorial Board membership disclosure, if applicable

Abstract & Keywords

• Research articles & reviews: 100–250 words
• Case reports & short articles: 100–150 words
• Abstract subheadings should align with the article type.

Keywords: 3–6 terms from the MeSH database.

MANUSCRIPT TYPES AND FORMATTING

Original Articles

Structured with Introduction, Material and Method, Result, and Discussion sections. In the “Material and Method” section, the name of the institution and the ethics committee approval number for animal experiments and clinical studies. The herbarium address and number for herbal materials, and the name and surname of the person who made the diagnosis should be given. The gene database registration number of the living species (e.g. microorganism species) used as main material should be written.

Clinical Trials

Must be registered in a WHO-recognized registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).
A data-sharing plan must be included (see "Data Sharing" section).
Follow the ICMJE Clinical Trial Policy and COPE Data & Reproducibility Guidelines.

Statistical Reporting

Follow international statistical standards (Altman et al., Br Med J 1983;7:1489-93).

Report p-values, confidence intervals (CIs), and statistical measures with proper formatting (e.g., P < .001 instead of P = .000006).

Use SI units for measurements.

Review Articles

• Should be written by experts with a strong publication record.
• Must include Introduction and Conclusion sections.

Case Reports

• Prioritize rare cases, novel treatments, and challenging conditions.
• Structured with Introduction, Case Presentation, and Discussion sections.

Letters to the Editor

A "Letter to the Editor" is a type of manuscript that addresses important or overlooked aspects of a previously published article. It may also present articles on subjects within the scope of the journal that are of interest to readers, particularly educational cases. Additionally, readers can use the "Letter to the Editor" format to share their comments on published manuscripts.
The text of a "Letter to the Editor" should be unstructured and must not include an abstract, keywords, tables, figures, images, or other media. The manuscript being commented on must be properly cited within the "Letter to the Editor."

Short Communications

• Concise research articles, max 2,500 words.
• Abstract: ≤150 words; Max 3 figures/tables.

TABLES AND FIGURES

Tables

• Numbered consecutively, placed after references in the manuscript.
• Created using Word’s "Insert Table" function.
• Should not repeat data already in the text.

Figures & Legends

• Submit figures separately as TIFF/JPEG (≥300 DPI).
• Avoid embedding figures in the manuscript.
• Use clear labeling (arrows, stars, etc.).
• Anonymize images to prevent identification of individuals/institutions.

Abbreviations

• Define at first use in both abstract and main text.
• Product Identification
• Specify product name, manufacturer, city, and country in parentheses.

Example: Discovery St PET/CT scanner (General Electric, Milwaukee, WI, USA).

Supplementary Materials

• Supplementary materials, including audio files, videos, datasets, and additional documents (such as appendices, extra figures, tables), should be submitted as a separate section after the reference list.
• Concise descriptions of each supplementary material should be included to explain its relevance to the manuscript.
• Page numbers are not required for supplementary materials.

REFERENCES

References should be given at the end of the text in the order of their appearance in the text. Reference numbers are given at the end of the sentence using square brackets [1], [3], [5], etc. should be shown in numbers. The EndNote style available on our website can be used for the bibliography.

Examples for Writing References

For research articles:
[1] Tekdemir O, Özsoy Y. Veteriner alanda kullanılan modifiye salımlı dozaj şekilleri. Türk Farmakope Dergisi, 2020; 5(2): 25-36.
For articles with more than four authors, the names of the first four authors are indicated, followed by "et al." statement should be added.
For book chapters:
[2] Şenel S, Vural İ. Farmasötik Su. In: Zırh Gürsoy A (ed). Farmasötik Teknoloji. 2inci baskı. 2012, İstanbul: Aktif Matbaa ve Reklam Hizmetleri San. Tic. Ltd. Şti, 137-146. [ISBN 975- 97725-1-5].
For proceedings:
[3] Gecim M, Beceren A, Aydemir S, Sardas S. Evaluation of incision wound healing activity of Scorzonera veratrifolia in Wistar albino rats. 53rd Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX), 10-13 September 2017, Bratislava, Slovakia. Abs. Book, 280.
For thesis:
[4] Özdemirhan ME. Agomelatinin sıvı kromatografi yöntemi kullanılarak tabletlerden analizi. Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Anadolu Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Eskişehir, 2013.
For URL:
[5] Webber S. (2008, 10 Ekim). Information literacy in workplace contexts. reached http://information-literacy.blogspot. com/22 October 2008.https://publicationethics.org/guidance?f%5B0%5D=type%3A16

PUBLICATION ETHICS

Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences adheres to the guidelines of several organizations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (joint statement by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME), and the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, promoting transparency, integrity, and best practices in scholarly publishing.

Medical research involving human subjects must comply with the WMA Declaration of Helsinki (2013), ensuring informed consent, privacy protection, and participant safety. The journal also follows WAME’s Recommendations on Publication Ethics for Medical Journals, addressing conflicts of interest, research misconduct, and the peer review process to maintain integrity and transparency.

Ethics Committee Approval and Informed Consent

Ethical standards are upheld in both human and animal experiments. Authors must provide evidence of approval from a local Ethics Committee when required. Animal research should be conducted humanely, with clear reporting of anesthetics and analgesics used. Ethical standards must align with the WMA’s Code of Ethics (Declaration of Helsinki) for human studies and EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal research. A statement of ethics committee approval must be included in the ‘Materials and Methods’ section, in accordance with the ICMJE Recommendations. The journal will not consider any manuscript deemed ethically unacceptable.

If a manuscript is submitted to Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences without ethics committee approval, the journal will review it according to COPE's Research, Audit, and Service Evaluations guideline. This guideline helps the journal assess the risks and ethical concerns of publishing research lacking ethics committee approval, ensuring that the manuscript meets ethical standards despite the absence of formal approval.

Authors must provide detailed information on the ethical treatment of animals in their manuscript, including measures taken to prevent pain and suffering. The ARRIVE checklist can be used to help authors present this information clearly and comprehensively.

• For research involving human subjects, a statement confirming that written and/or verbal informed consent was obtained from all participants must be included. Informed consent forms should be retained for future reference.
• For studies involving children under 18, consent must be obtained from a parent or guardian, as children may not fully understand the risks and benefits of research.
  
• In cases of surveys or interviews, authors must confirm that participants gave informed consent for participation and, if applicable, for recording personal details. Any identifiable quotations or statements must be de-identified unless explicit consent for attribution is provided.
• Details of informed consent should be provided in the Methods section, along with other relevant research procedures. Authors must protect participants' anonymity and privacy, particularly regarding photographs that may reveal identities. Signed consent releases for photographs should be obtained, and the approval for publication must be documented in the Methods section.

Authors of submissions reporting research findings must meet all four criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content;
3. Final approval of the version to be published;
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Before submission, authors should determine who qualifies for authorship and in what order authors will be listed. The editors of the Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciencesdo not resolve authorship disputes. Any changes to the number or order of authors after the initial submission must be explained in writing to the Editor-in-Chief. The editors reserve the right to refer any authorship irregularities to the research officer or appropriate academic ethics authority at the institution or employer of the first or corresponding author.

Authors may use CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to provide information about individual contributions at the time of submission.

PLAGIARISM AND ETHICAL MISCONDUCT

All submissions undergo multiple screenings during the peer review and/or production processes using similarity detection software. When citing previous works, ensure that all material is properly referenced. Copying text, tables, or illustrations from any source (journal articles, books, theses, electronic media, etc.) and presenting them as one's own is considered plagiarism, even if a reference is provided. Listing the source in the 'References' section does not absolve authors of responsibility for plagiarism.

Authors are strongly encouraged to avoid any form of plagiarism or ethical misconduct, as illustrated below:

• Citation Manipulation: Refers to inflating citation counts through self-citation, excessive citation of the same journal, or citation stacking, which distorts academic recognition.
• Self-Plagiarism (Text Recycling): Involves reusing sections or sentences from an author's prior work without proper citation, constituting a form of plagiarism.
• Salami Slicing: The unethical practice of publishing multiple articles using the same data set, hypotheses, and methods from a single study.
• Data Fabrication: The creation of false data not supported by actual research or experiments, considered a serious breach of research integrity.
• Data Manipulation/Falsification: Involves altering data, such as modifying images or removing outliers, to mislead or misrepresent findings.

In cases of suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, citation manipulation, or data falsification), the Editorial Board will follow COPE guidelines to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent handling of allegations.

GENERATIVE AI AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) USE POLICY

Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences adopts the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic publishing. The following guidelines clarify the acceptable and ethical use of such technologies in manuscript preparation, authorship, visual content, and editorial processes.

1. Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation
Authors must explicitly disclose any use of AI tools in the preparation of their manuscripts. This includes specifying the tool’s name, version, and the precise purpose for which it was used—such as language editing or data analysis. These disclosures must appear in appropriate sections of the manuscript (e.g., Acknowledgments or Methods). AI tools may assist in improving grammar, style, or clarity, but only under human supervision. The scientific content, originality, and conclusions must remain the sole responsibility of the authors.

Authors are expected to critically evaluate and verify any AI-generated suggestions or outputs to ensure that they do not introduce errors, misrepresent data, or compromise academic integrity.

2. Authorship and Accountability
Authorship represents a set of intellectual and ethical responsibilities that AI tools cannot fulfill. Only individuals who meet established authorship criteria—such as contributing to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study—can be listed as authors. The use of AI does not justify authorship, and AI tools must never be credited as co-authors.

Authors must also confirm that all content in the manuscript is original and free from plagiarism or inappropriate AI influence. They remain fully accountable for the accuracy, validity, and integrity of the entire work, including any content generated or modified using AI technologies.

3. AI-Generated Images and Visual Content
Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences maintains a cautious approach to the inclusion of AI-generated visual material, primarily due to ongoing legal, ethical, and scientific uncertainties. The use of such content is generally not allowed, except in two specific cases:

As Part of the Research Methodology, If AI tools are used in a study’s methodology (e.g., in AI-assisted medical imaging), the process must be documented in the Methods section, including the name, version, and technical parameters of the tool.

AI-Focused Content: Visual content directly related to articles discussing AI may be considered, subject to editorial review.

Any approved AI-generated visual content must be clearly labeled as “AI-generated” in figure captions. Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, appropriateness, and legal compliance (including copyright considerations) of such materials.

4. Use of AI by Reviewers and Editors
To preserve confidentiality and maintain the integrity of the peer review process, reviewers and editors are strongly discouraged from using generative AI tools to read, summarize, or evaluate submitted manuscripts. If AI tools are used in any capacity, this must be transparently disclosed, and no confidential information should be shared with these systems.

All post-publication correction requests are subject to editorial review. The Editorial Board evaluates the necessity and appropriateness of corrections based on the nature of the error, its impact on the article, and the supporting evidence. If approved, the correction will be made in the journal’s archive. The journal follows the COPE guidelines.

Article Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)

Withdrawal applies only to articles in press, which are early versions of articles that may contain errors, accidental duplicate submissions, or ethical violations (e.g., multiple submissions, fraudulent data, or plagiarism). Withdrawn articles will have their HTML and PDF content removed, replaced by a statement indicating the withdrawal and linking to the journal’s withdrawal policy.

Article Retraction (Post-Publication)

Retractions are issued for serious ethical violations, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship fraud, or publication without co-author consent. Retraction notices include:

• A formal retraction note titled “Retraction: [Article Title],” published in a subsequent issue.
• A watermark on the PDF of the original article, marking it as "Retracted."
• A removal of the HTML version, ensuring transparency in corrections while preserving academic integrity.

Article Removal (Legal & Safety Concerns)

In rare cases, an article may need to be permanently removed from the journal’s online database due to legal issues, court orders, defamation, or significant health risks. While the metadata (title and authors) will be retained, the article content will be replaced with a legal notice explaining the removal.

Article Replacement

If an article poses a serious health risk, authors may request a replacement with a corrected version. In such cases, a retraction notice will be published with a link to the revised article, ensuring a transparent record of updates.

ADVERTISING POLICY

Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences accepts digital advertisements on its website, provided they are approved by the journal's Editorial Board and management. All advertisements must be clearly labeled as such. Advertisers have no influence on editorial decisions or advertising policies.

For advertising inquiries, please contact the Editorial Office (inueditorial@inonu.edu.tr).

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Anatolian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences applies a rigorous and transparent double-anonymized peer-review process to uphold academic quality and integrity. In this system, both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other. All manuscripts first undergo a technical evaluation by the editorial office to ensure compliance with the journal’s submission guidelines. Submissions that meet these requirements are assessed by the Editor-in-Chief for relevance and scientific merit. Suitable manuscripts are then assigned to Section Editors, who oversee the review process and invite at least two independent, external reviewers with expertise in the relevant field.

Reviewers are expected to provide timely, evidence-based, and constructive feedback to improve the quality of submissions. Revised manuscripts are reassessed—preferably by the original reviewers—and Section Editors submit a recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief, who makes the final decision. Throughout the process, confidentiality is strictly maintained; all communications between editors and reviewers are considered confidential and must not be shared without permission. Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment. Authors may suggest reviewers during submission, but the final decision on their selection rests with the editorial team.

To ensure impartiality, manuscripts submitted by editorial board members are handled by qualified external editors, who are also required to declare any conflicts of interest. If the peer-review process deviates from standard policy, the type of review will be clearly indicated in the published article to ensure transparency. Peer-review reports are shared anonymously with the authors but are not made publicly available. Any suspected misconduct or manipulation of the review process is addressed in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines. In case of delays, authors are notified and given the option to withdraw their manuscript.

REVISION PROCESS
Manuscripts requiring "minor revision" or "major revision" will receive a decision letter from the Editor-in-Chief, outlining the reviewers’ and editors’ comments along with a deadline for resubmission.

Submission of Revised Manuscripts

Authors must submit a detailed "Response to the Reviewers" document along with the revised manuscript. This document should address each reviewer’s comment individually, explaining the revisions made and specifying the corresponding line numbers in the manuscript. Additionally, an annotated version of the main document highlighting the changes should be provided.

Timeliness

Revised manuscripts must be submitted within the deadline stated in the decision letter. Missing the deadline may result in the rejection of the revision. If additional time is required, authors must request an extension before the original deadline expires.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in published manuscripts belong solely to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, editorial board, or publisher. The editors, editorial board, and publisher are not responsible for the content of published manuscripts and do not endorse the views expressed within them.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their work. While the journal serves as a platform for disseminating research to the scientific community, it does not guarantee the validity of the content.

No fees are charged to authors or institutions for submission or publication. All journal expenses are covered by İnönü University, and there are no submission or publishing fees for accepted articles.