Guide for Authors

Table of contents

Journal Pattern for Each Issue

Flow Chart of Submission and Evaluation Process

Guide for Authors

     Preparing Cover Letter

Preparing Manuscript Text

   Preparing Figures and Tables

  Works on Human and Animals

  Conflict of Interest

  

  1. 1.    Journal Pattern for Each Issue

IJPS publishes research and review articles within the eight fundamental scopes of pharmaceutical sciences. These papers should be included in one or more of the following subdivisions:

  1. Pharmacology and toxicology
  2. Nanotechnology
  3. Pharmaceutics
  4. Natural products
  5. Biotechnology
  6. Pharmaceutical chemistry
  7. Clinical pharmacy
  8. Other topics related to professional pharmacy (pharmaco-economy and management, health outcomes, etc.)

There are one or two section editors for each of above subdivisions. You may find the name of these editors in the journal site. You may facilitate and accelerate the processes of evaluating your manuscript with identification of the section for which your manuscript might best fit in, at the time of submission.

  1. 2.     Submission and Review Flow Chart:

  

 

 

 

 

 


3. Guide for Authors

3.1. Preparing Cover Letter

It is mandatory that a signed cover letter also be submitted along with the manuscript by the corresponding author, delineating the scope of the submitted article, declaring the potential competing interests, acknowledging contributions from authors and funding agencies, and certifying that the paper is prepared according to the 'IJPS Instructions for Authors’. All inconsistencies in the text and in the reference section and any typographical errors must be carefully checked and corrected before the submission of the manuscript. The article must not contain such material or information that may be unlawful, defamatory, fabricated, plagiarized, or which would, if published, in any way whatsoever, violate the terms and conditions as laid down in the journal’s instructions. The authors acknowledge that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the authors for any such violation of the terms and conditions as stated in the copyright agreement.

 

3.2. Preparing Manuscript Text

3.2.1. Structure of the Manuscripts

Research Articles: For Research Articles, the manuscript should begin with the title page and abstract followed by the main text, which must be structured into separate sections as Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgements, and References.

Review Articles: Please note that IJPS does not accept review articles except for those which have been invited by the editorial board. The review article should state any previous important, recent and old facts, events and opinions in the field and contain a comprehensive discussion starting with the general background of the field. It should then keep discussing the recent developments. The authors are advised to briefly present and discuss their own observations as well.


     Important Points in Preparing the Manuscript Text File:

[Main Manuscript Text]. E.g. Main manuscript text

  • You are assured that the publisher, where you are submitting your manuscript, is committed to actively combating plagiarism and publishing original research.
  • It is essential to review your manuscript for any English typographical and grammatical errors. Manuscripts written in a good English format will be more acceptable with a higher chance of prompt approval.

 

General Format of Writing:

Please consider the following guidelines for the text throughout the manuscript, unless where a different format is emphasized in a section.

  • For getting information about format of the title page and abstract refer to Format of the Title page and Abstract.
  • The manuscript style must be uniform throughout the text in 11 pt Times New Roman fonts.
  • The first sentence at the beginning of each paragraph should be indented (0.5 cm).
  • Line spacing of all texts should be 1.5.
  • The titles and subtitles (except for Abstract, Acknowledgments, and References) should be numbered like the following examples:

1. Introduction 

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Plant Material

2.2. Isolation of the Essential Oil

3. Results and Discussion, etc


The titles in the main text should be written in bold, not italic, 11 pt Times New Roman fonts.

  • The subtitles should be written in italic, not bold, 11 pt Times New Roman fonts. Moreover, the words of the subtitle should be capitalized except for the preposition (of, in, at,...) and the articles (a, an,the).
  • Greek Symbols and Special Characters: Greek symbols and special characters often undergo format modifications and get corrupted or lost during preparation of the manuscript for publication. To ensure that all special characters used are embedded in the text, they should be inserted as a symbol but should not be the result of any format styling (Symbol font face) otherwise they will be lost during conversion to PDF/XML.
  • List of Abbreviations: If abbreviations are used in the text either they should be defined in the text where first used, or a list of abbreviations should be provided in a footnote on the same page as the introduction section. Non-assimilated words from Latin or other languages should also be italicized e.g. per se, et al. etc.
  • Italics should be used for Binomial names of organisms (Genus and Species), for emphasis and for unfamiliar words or phrases.
  • Equations, Chemicals and Units: Chemical equations, chemical names, mathematical equations, unit of measurements, chemical and physical quantity & units must conform to SI and Chemical Abstracts or IUPAC. All kinds of measurements should be reported only in International System of Units (SI).

 

3.2.1.1. Title Page

Note: The title page should be submitted in a standalone separate file from the manuscript text file. The file should not be named with the author's name and should be in the following format: Title page. E.g. -Title page

The title page contains the title, running title, all authors’ names, and their affiliations (department, university or organization, city, state/province and country); At the end of the title page please write the corresponding author's name and his/her email address and telephone number and importantly please write the mobile number(for urgent contact)                                                                                                       

Format of the Title Page:

  • Each word in the title should start with capital letter except for the conjunctions, articles, and prepositions. The font of the title should be Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, and centered.
  • The names of the authors should be written in the next line after the title (font: Times New Roman, 12 pt, not bold, not italic). Authors should be identified by superscripts and corresponded to the related affiliation. The authors’ affiliations are written in the next line (font: Times New Roman, 11 pt, italic, not bold). Additionally, put an asterisk in front of the name of the corresponding author.
  • It is necessary to note that one of the authors (just one corresponding author is accepted) should be selected as the corresponding author (font: Times New Roman, 11 pt, not bold, not italic). Moreover, the author’s complete affiliation/address (font: Times New Roman, 11 pt, not bold, italic) should be placed in the same line as his/her name (separate them with a comma). In the next line, the corresponding author should provide his/her phone number, fax, and email with the same font as the author’s name.

 

 

 

 

Determination of Glycyrrhetic Acid in Rat Plasma by HPLC after Oral Administration of Licorice Aqueous Extract

 

Fazel Shamsaa,*, Effat Souria, Mohammad Sharifzadehb, Hassan Jalalizadeha, Payam Farzamia

 

aDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, bDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, University of Tehran/ Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

 

*Corresponding author: Dr. Fazel Shamsa, Deptartment of Medicinal Chemistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Tel (+98)21-66959063

mobile phone number:(+98)912.....

Fax (+98)21-66461178

E-mail: shamsa@sinatk.tums.ac.ir

 

Running title: Detection of Glycerrhetic Acid in Rat Plasma

 

 Title Page Sample:

 

3.2.1. 2. Abstract

  • The abstract has a limitation of 500 words summarizing the essential features of the article and should consist of the background and rationale of the conducted study, methods in general, samples and/or subjects, substantial results, and conclusion. IJPS does not accept subdivisions or sub-titles for this section.
  • Please rewrite the title on a separate line at the beginning of the abstract.
  • The font of this section should be Times New Roman 12 pt. Moreover, the first line of the abstract should be indented.
  • Provide 6 to 8 keywords in alphabetical order at the bottom of the abstract. The title ‘keywords’ must be italic followed by a colon and also put a comma between the keywords. Please note that the keywords themselves should not be italic.

 

3.2.1. 3. Introduction

The introduction should state purpose of the study. A review of the key literature and relevant studies, a brief statement of the aim of experiments and methodologies selected to address the hypothesis of the study should also be elaborated in this section.

 

3.2.1.4. Materials and Methods

Materials and Methods should contain detailed information for the reproduction of the results. Protocols should be referenced for previously published methods and/or standard works. Protocols of new or not well known methodologies should be provided in details. Statistical methods and employed specific computer programs should also be mentioned with reference to the full address and version of the software used.

 

    3.2.1.5. Results and Discussion

Results should include all findings related to the aim of the study. Additionally, tables and figures required for argument and support of further conclusions should be provided. Discussions for different findings are better to come right following each result to elaborate on the important, relevant, and limitations of that finding and its relations to the other parts along with the main aim of the article. Any scientific conclusion of these findings and discussions should be remained for the conclusion section. Any important recommendations for future research should also be taken into consideration, but preferably in the conclusion. 


3.2.1.6. Conclusion

Conclusion gives the chance to the author to show why the topic is important. However, the conclusion should not introduce any new results or evidence; instead, it should synthesize the information already present in the paper in a meaningful way. Emphasize the arguments initially made in the introductory paragraph. However, do not summarize the arguments already mentioned in the paper. Show the readers how the arguments in the paper fit together and prove the research’s statements and hypotheses. Inform the readers of further steps that need to be taken in the area of this research, particularly those which might improve the research’s hypotheses and aims. By providing real-world applications to the preceding information, the author can give the paper context and show its relationship to the other papers in the same area. Revise the conclusion to make sure that it accurately reflects the ideas put forth in the introduction and body of the paper.

 

3.2.1.7. Acknowledgments

Please acknowledge anyone (individual/company/institution) who has contributed to the study by making substantial contributions to conception, design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, or who was involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content. Please list the source(s) of funding for the study, for each author, and for the manuscript’s preparation in the acknowledgements section.

3.2.1.8. References

All references should be numbered sequentially [in square brackets] in the text and listed in the same numerical order in the reference section. The reference numbers must be finalized and the bibliography must be fully formatted before submission.

Please write the references applying format and punctuation exactly like the following examples:

 

3.2.1.8.1. Journal Reference

[1] Minaiyan M, Ghannadi A, Salehi E. Antiulcerogenic effect of Zataria multiflora boiss on cysteamine. Iranian J. Pharm. Scientists (2005) 1 (4): 223-229.

 

3.2.1.8.2. Book Reference

 [2] Fahimi F, Abbasi Nazari M, Namazi S. Applied Tables for Physicians and Pharmacists, 1st ed., Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center Publishing, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center: Tehran (2013).

 

3.2.1.8.3. Book Chapter Reference

[3] Shirazi et al. Remarks in successful cellular investigations for fighting breast cancer using novel synthetic compounds. Gunduz M and Gunduz E (Eds.) In: Breast Cancer Focusing Tumor Microenvironment, Stem Cells and Metastasis, InTech, Croatia (2011) 85-98.

 

3.2.1.8.4. Conference Proceedings

[4] Pourahmad J, Shafaghi B, Karimian L. A Search for molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in neuropathic pain induced rat brain. In: IJPS (2006) 2(3).Proceeding of the10th Iranian pharmaceutical sciences congress, Tehran, Iran, August (2006) 42-43.

3.2.1.8.5. URL (WebPage)

 [5] Iranian Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists: Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. http://www.ijps.ir (Accessed May 5, 2013).

 

3.2.1.8.6. Patent

 [6] Erfan M, Moghimi H R, Haeri A, Jafarzade Kashi T, Jafarzade F. Poly (CPP-SA) anhydride against percutaneous absorbtion of toxic chemicals. U.S. Patent 0237471A1, September 20, 2012.

 

3.2.1.8.7. Thesis

 [7] Nakhjavani M. Cytotoxicity of Three Novel 1, 3-Diarylprop-2-En1-One Derivatives on Human Hepato, Lung and Breast Carcinoma Cells. Ph.D Thesis, Shahid Beheshti University: Tehran, September 2009.

3.2.1.8.8.E-citations

[8] Citations for articles/material published exclusively online or in open access (free-to-view) , must contain the exact Web addresses (URLs) at the end of the reference(s), except those posted on an author’s Web site unless editorially essential, e.g. ‘Reference: Available from: URL’.

 

3.2.1.8.8. Some Important Points to Remember in Writing the References

  • All references must be complete and accurate.
  • When a source has up to seven (7) authors, include all names in the reference list.
  • When there are eight (8) or more authors, cite only the last name of the first author followed by ‘et al.’ each time you refer to this work.
  • Online citations should include the date of access.
  • Journal abbreviations should follow the Index Medicus/MEDLINE format.
  • Special care should be taken on the punctuation convention as described in the above-mentioned examples.
  • Superscript in the in-text citations and reference section should be avoided.
  • Abstracts, unpublished data and personal communications (which can only be included if prior permission has been obtained) should not be given in the reference section but they may be mentioned in the text with details to be provided as footnotes.

3.3. Preparing Figures and Tables

3.3.1. Figures

      All authors must strictly follow the guidelines below for preparing illustrations for publication. If the figures are found to be non-standard, then the manuscripts will be rejected or a figure improvement charge will be applied to fix the figure based on IJPS standards.

      The authors should provide the figures as separate files, numbered consecutively in the order of their appearance. Each figure should be placed in a separate page containing a single illustration. If a figure consists of separate parts, it is important that all parts be arranged in the figure clearly and addressed in the caption properly, in one page.  

Notes:

  • The figures should be submitted in a standalone separate file from the manuscript text file. The file should be named in the following format: [Figure]-Figure. (avoided name the figure file with the author's names, etc)
  • The figures should be numbered. E.g. Figure 1. 
  • Add the list of all Figure Legends (captions) on a separate page at the beginning followed by the figures on the next pages. The font size of the legends should be 10 pt.
  • Photographs should be provided with a scale bar if appropriate, as well as high-resolution component files.
  • Important: Avoid sending figures containing text and numbers in the picture: provide the figures in jpg format in the office word file.

 

3.3.1.1. Scaling/Resolution

     For Line Art image type, which is generally an image based on lines and text and does not contain tonal or shaded areas, the preferred file format is TIFF or EPS, with color mode being Monochrome 1-bit or RGB, in a resolution of 900-1200 dpi.

     For Halftone image type, which is generally a continuous tone photograph and contains no text, the preferred file format is TIFF, with color mode being RGB or Grayscale, in a resolution of 300 dpi.

     For Combination image type, which is generally an image containing halftone in addition to text or line art elements, the preferred file format is TIFF, with color mode being RGB or Grayscale, in a resolution of 500-700 dpi.

 

Examples:

 

Figure 1. The normal histological features of NS or simvastatin 4mg/kg + cisplatin isolated kidneys. (A) magnification: 100 x.  (B) magnification: 250 x.

        

Figure 2. General variation of the strain energy stored in the film in regard to the DBS percent in the solution.


3.3.1.2. Formats

 For illustrations, the following file formats are acceptable:

Illustrator

EPS (preferred format for diagrams)

PDF (also especially suitable for diagrams)

 PNG (preferred format for photos or images)

Microsoft Word (version 5 and above; figures must be a single page)

PowerPoint (figures must be a single page)

TIFF

JPEG (conversion should be done using the original file)

 BMP

CDX (ChemDraw)

TGF (ISISDraw)

 

Notes:

  • If the large size of TIFF or EPS figures acts as an obstacle to online submission, authors may convert them to JPEG format. Since JPEG is weak in order to maintain acceptable image quality, it is recommended that JPEG files are saved at High or Maximum quality.

 

  • Files should not be compressed with tools such as Zipit or Stuffit prior to submission.

 

 

                  Please DO NOT:

1. Supply embedded graphics in your word processor (spreadsheet, presentation) document;

2. Supply files that are optimized for screen use (like GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG); the resolution is too low

3. Supply files that are too low in resolution;

4. Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.

 

3.3.1.3. Image Conversion Tools

  • There are many software packages, many of them are freeware or shareware. They are also capable of converting to and from different graphics formats, including PNG.
  • Proper general tools for image conversion are Graphic Converter on the Macintosh, Paint Shop Pro, for Windows, and Image Magic which is available on Macintosh, Windows and UNIX platforms.
  • Note that bitmap images (e.g. screenshots) should not be converted to EPS, since this will result in a much larger file size than the equivalent ones; JPEG, TIFF, PNG or BMP, with no increase in quality. EPS should only be used for images produced by vector-drawing applications such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. Most of the vector-drawing applications can be saved in, or exported as EPS format. In case the images have been originally prepared in an Office application, such as Word or PowerPoint, then the original Office files should be directly uploaded to the site, instead of being converted to JPEG or another format that may be of low quality.

 

3.3.1.4. Color Figures/Illustrations

     Color figures should be supplied in RGB colors.


3.3.1.5. Chemical Structure

Chemical structures must be prepared in ChemDraw/CDX and provided as separate files. The file should be named in the following format:
[corresponding author’s last name]-Chemical Structure. E.g. [Ahmadian]-Chemical Structure 

 

3.3.1.6. Structure Drawing Preferences

3.3.1.6.1. Drawing Settings

Chain angle         120°

Bond spacing       18% of width

Fixed length         14.4 pt (0.500cm, 0.2in)

Bold width            2.0 pt (0.071cm, 0.0278in)

Line width            0.6 pt (0.021cm, 0.0084in)

Margin width        1.6 pt (0.096cm)

Hash spacing       2.5 pt (0.088cm, 0.0347in)

 

3.3.1.6.2. Under the Preference Choose:

Units                    points

Tolerances           3 pixels

 

3.3.1.6.3. Under Page Setup Use:

Paper                   US letter

Scale                    100%

 

3.3.2. Tables

     Note: Tables should be submitted in a standalone separate file from the manuscript text file including tables, which are numbered. The file should be named in the following format:

     [Table]

Add list of all Table Legends (captions) in a separate page at the beginning followed by the tables on the next pages. The font size of the legends should be 10 pt.

 

Important points to remember:

  • Data Tables should be submitted in Microsoft Word table format.
  • put all the tables in just one file
  • Tables should be numbered in Arabic numerals sequentially in order of their citation in the body of the text. Hence the tables should be numbered in bold font (i.e. Table 1.) followed by the table title. The title should be in a small case with the first letter in capital. A full stop should be placed at the end of the table title.
  • If a reference is cited in both the table and text, please insert a lettered footnote in the table to refer to the numbered reference in the text.

 

3.4. Work on Human and Animals

      When reporting experiments working on human, authors should indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation in one of the well known formal institutional and national academic centers.

      For research involving animals, authors should indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the standards set forth in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (published by the National Academy of Science, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.).

         

3.5. Conflict of Interest

      Any information regarding the potential conflict of interests related to various aspects such as financial support by commercial firms, etc… should be disclosed in manuscripts to help clarify this issue. You may download the proper form from IJPS website, complete and submit it with your manuscript with a file name as [Corresponding author’s last name]-conflict.doc.