Submission Checklist
To ensure a smooth and successful submission process, please follow the checklist below:
- Read the Aims & Scope: Familiarize yourself with the Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal’s Aims & Scope section to understand the focus and suitability of your manuscript for this journal.
- Consider Publication Ethics: Address any concerns related to publication ethics, research ethics, copyright compliance, authorship guidelines, figure formats, and data and references formatting. Ensure that your manuscript adheres to the highest ethical standards.
- Approval from All Authors: Confirm that all authors have reviewed and approved the content of the manuscript before submission. It is essential to have consensus and agreement among all authors.
- Optional Biography: Authors are encouraged to include a brief biography (optional) with their submission. This allows readers to gain insights into the background and expertise of the authors.
By following this checklist, you can enhance the quality and suitability of your manuscript for submission. Should you have any further questions or require clarifications, please feel free to reach out to managing editor.
Manuscript Submission Overview
Types of Publications:
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal requires authors to provide full experimental details for reproducibility. Experimental controls should be included, and authors are encouraged to make complete datasets available whenever possible. Manuscripts submitted to the journal should not have been previously published or under consideration elsewhere. The main types of articles accepted are:
- Article: These are original research manuscripts that present scientifically sound experiments and significant new information. The article should include an Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and optionally Conclusions. The suggested minimum word count is 5000 words.
- Review: Reviews offer comprehensive analyses of existing literature in a specific field, identifying gaps and suggesting future research directions. They should be critical and constructive, without presenting new, unpublished data. The structure may include an Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Relevant Sections, Discussion, Conclusions, and Future Directions. The suggested minimum word count is 5000 words.
Submission Process:
Manuscripts should be submitted via online submission system or as email attachments to the managing editor. The submitting author, usually the corresponding author, is responsible for the manuscript throughout the submission and peer-review process. The submitting author must ensure that all eligible co-authors are included in the author list and that they have read and approved the submitted version of the manuscript.
Accepted File Formats:
Authors are encouraged to use any standrad Microsoft Word template or LaTeX template for manuscript preparation. The total file size for all files should not exceed 80 MB. If this is an issue, please contact the managing editor. The accepted file formats are:
- Microsoft Word: Manuscripts prepared in Microsoft Word should be converted into a single file before submission.
- LaTeX: Manuscripts prepared in LaTeX should be collated into a single ZIP folder containing all source files and images. This allows the Editorial Office to recompile the submitted PDF.
- Supplementary files: Supplementary files can be in any format, but it is recommended to use common, non-proprietary formats whenever possible.
- Required Sections: While we don’t have strict formatting requirements, all manuscripts should include the necessary sections: Author Information, Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Conclusions, Figures and Tables with Captions, Funding Information, Author Contributions, Conflict of Interest, and other Ethics Statements. Please refer to the Journal Instructions for Authors for more details.
- References: You may use any citation style as long as you maintain consistent formatting throughout the manuscript. Include the author(s) name(s), journal or book title, article or chapter title (if applicable), publication year, volume and issue (if relevant), and pagination. While not mandatory, it is highly encouraged to include DOI numbers (Digital Object Identifier). You can use bibliography software packages like EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley, or Reference Manager for managing your references.
Cover Letter:
Each manuscript submission may include a cover letter. The cover letter should be concise and explain the significance of the paper’s content, placing the findings in the context of existing work. It should also clarify how the manuscript aligns with the scope of the journal.
The cover letter should include the following statements:
- Confirmation that the manuscript or any part of its content is not under consideration or published in another journal.
- Confirmation that all authors have approved the manuscript and agree to its submission to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal.
Author Biography:
Authors are encouraged to include a brief biography (maximum 200 words) with their submission. The biography should consist of a single paragraph and include the following points:
- Full names of the authors and their current positions.
- Educational background, including institution information and year of graduation, specifying the type and level of degree received.
- Work experience.
----Current and previous research interests.
----Memberships in professional societies and any awards received.
Manuscript Preparation
General Considerations:
- Review manuscripts should follow the same structure as research articles.
- Case reports should include a concise introduction about the medical condition or symptoms discussed, followed by a case presentation containing relevant de-identified demographic and descriptive information about the patient(s), including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. A discussion should provide context and explanations of treatment decisions, and a conclusion should outline the take-home message and lessons learned.
Graphical Abstract:
- A graphical abstract (GA) is an image that appears alongside the text abstract in the Table of Contents. It should summarize the article’s content in an attention-grabbing way.
- The GA should be an original and unpublished illustration or diagram, not an exact replica of a figure in the paper or a simple combination of subfigures.
- The GA should be a high-quality image in PNG format, with clear and readable text using specified fonts.
- The minimum size for the GA is 500 × 1000 pixels (height × width) to ensure good reproduction quality.
- Do not include postage stamps, currency, or trademarked items in the GA.
Acronyms/Abbreviations/Initialisms: Define acronyms/abbreviations/initialisms the first time they appear in the abstract, main text, and the first figure or table. Include the written-out form followed by the acronym/abbreviation/initialism in parentheses.
SI Units: Use SI units (International System of Units) whenever possible. Convert Imperial, US customary, and other units to SI units.
Accession Numbers: Provide accession numbers of RNA, DNA, and protein sequences used in the Materials and Methods section. See the section on Deposition of Sequences and Expression Data for further details.
Equations: Use either the Microsoft Equation Editor or the MathType add-on in Microsoft Word for equations. Equations should be editable and not in picture format.
Research Data and Supplementary Materials: Publication of your manuscript requires making all materials, data, and protocols associated with the publication available to readers. Disclose any restrictions on availability at the submission stage. Refer to Supplementary Materials and Data Deposit guidelines for more information.
Preregistration: If you have preregistered studies or analysis plans, provide links to the preregistration in the manuscript.
Guidelines and Standards: At Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, we uphold the highest standards to ensure the quality and integrity of our publications. Our commitment is reflected in our adherence to industry-recognized guidelines and standards:
- ICMJE Recommendations: Our medically-related journals align with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations. These guidelines cover various aspects of journal management, peer review, and complaint handling, providing a comprehensive framework for editorial processes.
-CONSORT Statement: For randomized, controlled trials, we encourage authors to adhere to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. Authors are urged to verify their work against the checklist and flow diagram, submitting them with their manuscripts.
-TOP Guidelines: Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines underscore our commitment to transparent research reporting. Our journals aim to achieve level 1 or 2 compliance for all TOP aspects, with specific requirements available upon request from the editorial office.
-FAIR Principles: We adhere to the FAIR Principles, promoting Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse of data, thereby enhancing the overall accessibility and usability of published research data.
-PRISMA Standards: For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, authors are encouraged to adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards, completing the checklist and flow diagram for inclusion with their submissions.
-ARRIVE Guidelines: Reporting in vivo experiments follows the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines. Authors are advised to check their work against the ARRIVE checklist and include it with their submissions.
-Plagiarism Detection: To maintain the highest standards of academic integrity, we utilize iThenticate, an industry-standard plagiarism detection software. It is employed during the initial manuscript screening and can be used at any stage of the peer review process.
Authors are expected to comply with these standards, and any deviations should be clearly explained. Highlighting relevant guidelines in the cover letter is recommended, as adherence to these benchmarks will be considered during the final decision-making process.
Sections that should appear in all manuscript types:
- Title: The title should be concise, specific, and relevant. Use abbreviated gene or protein names instead of full names. Avoid abbreviated or short forms of the title.
- Author List and Affiliations: Provide authors’ full names, including initials of middle names. Use the standard PubMed/MEDLINE format for affiliations. Designate a corresponding author and include their email address. Equal contributions should be indicated with a superscript symbol (†).
- Abstract: The abstract should be a maximum of about 250 words. It should provide a broad context and purpose of the study, describe the main methods or treatments, summarize the key findings, and state the main conclusions or interpretations.
- Keywords: Include three to ten relevant keywords after the abstract that are specific to the article’s subject discipline.
Research Manuscript Sections
-Introduction: The introduction should provide a brief overview and explain the importance of the study. It should define the purpose, significance, and specific hypotheses being tested. Review the current state of the research field and cite key publications. Keep the introduction understandable to scientists outside the topic.
- Materials and Methods: Describe the materials and methods used in sufficient detail for others to replicate the study. New methods should be described in detail, while well-established methods can be briefly described and cited. Mention the software used and indicate if computer code is available. Include any pre-registration codes.
-Results: Present a concise and precise description of the experimental results, their interpretation, and the experimental conclusions that can be drawn.
-Discussion: Discuss the results in relation to previous studies and working hypotheses. Place the findings and their implications in a broader context and highlight the limitations of the work. Mention future research directions if applicable. This section can be combined with the Results section if appropriate.
-Conclusions: This section is optional and can be added if the discussion is lengthy or complex.
-Patents: This section is optional and can be included if there are patents resulting from the work reported in the manuscript.
-Supplementary Materials: Describe any supplementary materials published online alongside the manuscript, such as figures, tables, videos, or spreadsheets. Label each element with a name and title (e.g., Figure S1: title, Table S1: title).
-Author Contributions: Each author should have made substantial contributions to the work. Specify the contributions of each author in a short paragraph. Use the following statements: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data Curation, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project Administration, Funding Acquisition.
-Funding: Disclose all sources of funding for the study. Clearly indicate grants received and specify if any funds were used to cover publication costs. Use the statements: “This research received no external funding” or “This research was funded by [name of funder] grant number [xxx].” Mention if the article processing charge (APC) was funded.
-Institutional Review Board Statement: Add the Institutional Review Board Statement and approval number for studies involving humans or animals. Use the statements: “The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of [NAME OF INSTITUTE] (protocol code [XXX] and date of approval)” or “Ethical review and approval were waived for this study, due to [REASON].” Use “Not applicable” if the study did not involve humans or animals.
-Informed Consent Statement: For studies involving humans, include the statement: “Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study” or “Patient consent was waived due to [REASON].” Use “Not applicable” for studies not involving humans. State if written informed consent has been obtained from identifiable patients for publication.
-Data Availability Statement: Provide details of where data supporting reported results can be found, including links to publicly archived datasets used or generated during the study. Exclude this statement if the study did not report any data.
-Acknowledgments: Acknowledge any support not covered in the author contribution or funding sections, such as administrative or technical assistance or in-kind donations.
-Conflicts of Interest: Declare any personal circumstances or interests that may influence the interpretation of research results. State “The authors declare no conflict of interest.” Disclose the role of funding sponsors in the research project and manuscript preparation.
- References: Number references in the order they appear in the text and list them individually at the end of the manuscript. Use a bibliography software package to ensure accuracy. Use square brackets [ ] for in-text citations and provide the full reference at the end. Follow the recommended format for different types of works (journal articles, books and book chapters, conference proceedings, theses, websites).
Journal Articles:
[1] Author 1, A.B., & Author 2, C.D. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range.
Books and Book Chapters:
[2] Author 1, A., & Author 2, B. (Year). Book Title, 3rd ed.; Publisher: Publisher Location, Country, pp. 154–196.
[3] Author 1, A., & Author 2, B. (Year). Title of the chapter. In Book Title, 2nd ed.; Editor 1, A., Editor 2, B., Eds.; Publisher: Publisher Location, Country, Volume 3, pp. 154–196.
Conference Proceedings:
[4] Author 1, A.B., Author 2, C.D., & Author 3, E.F. (Year).Title of Presentation. In Title of the Collected Work (if available), Proceedings of the Name of the Conference, Location of Conference, Country, Date of Conference; Editor 1, Editor 2, Eds. (if available); Publisher: City, Country, Abstract Number (optional), Pagination (optional).
Thesis:
[5] Author 1, A.B. Title of Thesis. Level of Thesis, Degree-Granting University, Location of University, Date of Completion.
Websites:
[6]. Title of Site. Available online: URL (accessed on Day Month Year).
Preparing Figures, Schemes, and Tables
- Submit Figures and Schemes as a single zip archive during manuscript submission, ensuring they have a sufficiently high resolution (minimum 1000 pixels width/height or 300 dpi or higher). Common formats like JPEG, EPS, and PDF are accepted, with a preference for the latter two.
- Multimedia files cannot be published in Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal articles or as supplementary materials. Please contact the editorial office for further details.
- Insert all Figures, Schemes, and Tables into the main text near their first mention and number them according to their order of appearance (Figure 1, Scheme I, Figure 2, Scheme II, Table 1, etc.).
- Provide a short explanatory title and caption for each Figure, Scheme, and Table.
- Ensure that all table columns have clear headings. For larger tables, smaller fonts may be used to facilitate copy-editing, but the font size should not be less than 8 pt.
It is recommended to prepare Figures and Schemes in color using the RGB color space at 8 bits per channel. There is no additional cost for publishing full-color graphics.
Supplementary Materials, Data Deposit and Software Source Code
The Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal is dedicated to promoting open scientific exchange and helping our authors adhere to best practices in sharing and archiving research data. We encourage all authors who publish articles in Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal to make their research data available to the public. It is important that the data generated during the research are publicly accessible and cited in accordance with Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal guidelines.
Our data policies at Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal are influenced by the TOP Guidelines (Transparency and Openness Promotion Guidelines) and FAIR Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). However, it is crucial to consider ethical, legal, and privacy factors. If any of these issues arise, the data should not be shared. In such cases, authors should clearly mention the limitations in the Data Availability Statement when submitting their articles. Authors must also ensure that the shared data comply with the consent provided by participants regarding the use of confidential information.
Data Availability Statements provide detailed information about where the data supporting the reported results can be found. These statements include links to publicly archived datasets that were analyzed or generated during the study. Here are some suggested Data Availability Statements:
- Data available in a publicly accessible repository: The data presented in this study are openly available in [repository name, e.g., FigShare] at [doi], reference number [reference number].
- Data available in a publicly accessible repository that does not issue DOIs: Publicly available datasets were analyzed in this study. This data can be found here: [link/accession number].
- Data available on request due to restrictions (e.g., privacy or ethical concerns): The data presented in this study are available upon request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to [insert reason here].
- 3rd Party Data: Restrictions apply to the availability of these data. Data was obtained from [third party] and is available [from the authors/at URL] with the permission of [third party].
- Data sharing not applicable: No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.
- Data is contained within the article or supplementary material: The data presented in this study are available in [insert article or supplementary material here].
To properly cite the data, use the following format: [dataset] Authors. Year. Dataset title; Data repository or archive; Version (if any); Persistent identifier (e.g., DOI).
Computer Code and Software: For work where novel computer code was developed, authors should release the code either by depositing in a recognized, public repository such as GitHub or uploading as supplementary information to the publication. The name, version, corporation and location information for all software used should be clearly indicated. Please include all the parameters used to run software/programs analyses.
Supplementary Material: Additional data and files can be provided as “Supplementary Files” during the manuscript submission process. These supplementary files will be available to the referees as part of the peer-review process. While any file format is acceptable, it is recommended to use common, non-proprietary formats whenever possible.
Unpublished Data: If there are restrictions on data availability, they should be noted during submission and in the manuscript. Avoid using “Data not shown,” and instead, authors are encouraged to publish all observations related to the submitted manuscript as Supplementary Material. If there is unpublished data intended for publication in a manuscript that is either planned, “in preparation,” or “submitted” but not yet accepted, it should be cited in the text, and a reference should be added in the References section. Similarly, if there is any “Personal Communication,” it should be cited in the text, and a reference should be added in the References section.
Remote Hosting and Large Data Sets: Data may be deposited with specialized service providers or institutional/subject repositories, preferably those that use the DataCite mechanism. Large data sets and files greater than 60 MB must be deposited in this way. For a list of other repositories specialized in scientific and experimental data, please consult databib.org or re3data.org. The data repository name, link to the data set (URL) and accession number, doi or handle number of the data set must be provided in the paper.
Deposition of Sequences and Expression Data: For new sequence information, it must be deposited in the appropriate database before submitting the manuscript. The accession numbers provided by the database should be included in the submitted manuscript. Manuscripts will not be published until the accession number is provided. Here are some guidelines for specific types of data:
-New nucleic acid sequences must be deposited into an acceptable repository such as GenBank, EMBL, or DDBJ. Sequences should be submitted to only one database.
-New high throughput sequencing (HTS) datasets (RNA-seq, ChIP-Seq, degradome analysis, …) must be deposited either in the GEO database or in the NCBI’s Sequence Read Archive (SRA).
- New microarray data must be deposited either in the GEO or the ArrayExpress databases.The "Minimal Information About a Microarray Experiment" (MIAME) guidelines published by the Microarray Gene Expression Data Society must be followed.
- New protein sequences obtained by protein sequencing must be submitted to UniProt (submission tool SPIN). Annotated protein structure and its reference sequence must be submitted to RCSB of Protein Data Bank.
All sequence names and the accession numbers provided by the databases must be provided in the Materials and Methods section of the article.
Deposition of Proteomics Data: Methods used to generate the proteomics data should be described in detail and we encourage authors to adhere to the "Minimum Information About a Proteomics Experiment". All generated mass spectrometry raw data must be deposited in the appropriate public database such as ProteomeXchange, PRIDE or jPOST. At the time of submission, please include all relevant information in the materials and methods section, such as repository where the data was submitted and link, data set identifier, username and password needed to access the data.
References in Supplementary Files: Citations and references in Supplementary files are allowed as long as they also appear in the reference list of the main text.
Research and Publication Ethics
Research Ethics – Involving Human Subjects
When conducting research involving human subjects, it is important to adhere to ethical guidelines to protect the rights and well-being of the participants. The Declaration of Helsinki of 1975 (https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/), which was revised in 2013, outlines these guidelines. Researchers should state that their investigations were conducted in accordance with this declaration.
To ensure compliance with national and international guidelines, researchers must obtain approval from a local institutional review board (IRB) or an appropriate ethics committee before starting the study. In the article, a statement should be included in the “Institutional Review Board Statement” section, providing the project identification code, date of approval, and the name of the ethics committee or IRB.
For non-interventional studies such as surveys, questionnaires, and social media research, participants should be fully informed about the study, including the assurance of anonymity, the purpose of the research, how their data will be used, and any associated risks. Ethical approval from an appropriate ethics committee must still be obtained before conducting the study. If ethical approval is not required, authors should either provide an exemption from the ethics committee or reference the local or national legislation stating that ethical approval is not needed for this type of study. If a study has been granted exemption, authors should explain why ethical approval was not required and state the name of the ethics committee providing the exemption.
Written informed consent must be obtained from participants before including them in the study. Individual participant data should be described in detail, but private information that identifies participants should only be included if it is relevant to the research. Patient details should be anonymized as much as possible, and personal identifiers such as initials should not appear in any images. Authors must obtain signed informed consent for publication from patients or their relatives/guardians if the manuscript includes case details, personal information, or images of patients. The submitted consent form should be a blank version without patient names or signatures. The journal reserves the right to reject submissions that do not meet these requirements.
If the research involves vulnerable groups or categorizes participants based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, disease, etc., additional scrutiny may be required. The editorial office may request documentary evidence, such as blank consent forms and discussion documents from the ethics board, to ensure compliance. Authors should clearly explain in the article why such categorization was necessary.
Ethical Guidelines – Use of Animals in Research
When conducting research that involves animals, it is essential to consider their welfare and minimize harm. The benefits derived from the research should outweigh the harm caused to animals, and the procedures followed should be unlikely to cause offense to most readers. Researchers should adhere to the commonly-accepted principles known as the ‘3Rs’ (*): replacing animals with alternatives whenever possible, reducing the number of animals used, and refining experimental conditions and procedures to minimize harm.
Authors should provide details on how the animals were housed, cared for, and managed in terms of their well-being and pain management. Further guidance can be found in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Used in Scientific Procedures (**), published by organizations such as the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (***) or the European Animal Research Association (****).
If national legislation requires it, studies involving vertebrates or higher invertebrates should only be conducted after obtaining approval from the appropriate ethics committee. The project identification code, date of approval, and the name of the ethics committee or IRB should be stated in the “Institutional Review Board Statement” section of the article. Research procedures must align with national and institutional regulations, and statements should confirm compliance with relevant legislation on animal welfare.
Clinical studies involving animals and interventions outside of routine care require oversight from an ethics committee, following guidelines from organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association. If the study involves animals owned by clients, informed consent must be obtained, and the manuscript should include a certification of this consent. Owners should be fully informed about associated risks and the intention to publish the research. If available, a high standard of veterinary care must be provided. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the statements provided in the manuscript.
If national laws do not require ethical approval, authors should provide an exemption from the ethics committee if one exists. The explanation for why ethical approval was not required should be stated in the “Institutional Review Board Statement” section.
If there is no animal ethics committee available to review applications, the ethical aspects of the research will be evaluated by reviewers and editors. Authors may be asked to provide a statement justifying the ethical perspective of their work, using a utilitarian framework similar to that used by ethics committees.
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal endorses the ARRIVE guidelines (arriveguidelines.org/) for reporting experiments using live animals. Authors and reviewers must use the ARRIVE guidelines as a checklist, which can be found at https://arriveguidelines.org/sites/arrive/files/documents/ARRIVE%20Compliance%20Questionnaire.pdf. Editors reserve the right to ask for the checklist and to reject submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines, to reject submissions based on ethical or animal welfare concerns or if the procedure described does not appear to be justified by the value of the work presented.
(*) NSW Department of Primary Industries and Animal Research Review Panel. Three Rs. Available online: https://www.animalethics.org.au/three-rs
(**) Home Office. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes. Available online: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/388535/CoPanimalsWeb.pdf
(***) American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The Scientific Basis for Regulation of Animal Care and Use. Available online: https://www.aalas.org/about-aalas/position-papers/scientific-basis-for-regulation-of-animal-care-and-use
(****) European Animal Research Association. EU regulations on animal research. Available online: https://www.eara.eu/animal-research-law
Ethical Guidelines – Research Involving Cell Lines
When conducting research with cell lines, it is important to provide information about their origin. If using established cell lines, the source should be stated, and references to published papers or commercial sources should be given. If using newly created cell lines that have not been published before, including those obtained from other laboratories, details about institutional review board or ethics committee approval must be provided. Additionally, written informed consent should be confirmed if the cell line is of human origin.
Example of Ethical Statements: We obtained the HCT116 cell line from XXXX. The MLH1+ cell line was provided by XXXXX, Ltd. The DLD-1 cell line was obtained from Dr. XXXX. The DR-GFP and SA-GFP reporter plasmids were obtained from Dr. XXX, and the Rad51K133A expression vector was obtained from Dr. XXXX.
Ethical Guidelines – Research Involving Plants
Experimental research on plants, whether cultivated or wild, should follow institutional, national, or international guidelines. Authors are encouraged to comply with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
For each submitted manuscript, the genetic information and origin of the plants must be provided. In research manuscripts involving rare and non-model plants (excluding common model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, Oryza sativa, etc.), voucher specimens should be deposited in an accessible herbarium or museum. Vouchers may be requested by future investigators to verify the identity of the plant material used in the study, especially if taxonomic rearrangements occur in the future. The voucher should include details of the populations sampled at the collection site (GPS coordinates), date of collection, and appropriate documentation of the plant part(s) used in the study. For rare, threatened, or endangered species, this requirement may be waived, but the author should explain this in the cover letter.
Editors have the right to reject any submission that does not meet these requirements.
Example of Ethical Statements: We used Torenia fournieri plants in this study. The white-flowered Crown White (CrW) and violet-flowered Crown Violet (CrV) cultivars were selected from ‘Crown Mix’ (XXX Company, City, Country) and kindly provided by Dr. XXX (XXX Institute, City, Country).
Arabidopsis mutant lines (SALKxxxx, SAILxxxx, etc.) were kindly provided by Dr. XXX, institute, city, country).
Clinical Trials Registration
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal follows the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) regarding the registration of clinical trials. Clinical trials must be registered in a public trials registry at or before the time of enrolling the first patient to be considered for publication.
Purely observational studies do not require registration. The term “clinical trial” does not only refer to studies conducted in hospitals or involving pharmaceuticals but also encompasses studies that involve participant randomization and group classification in the context of the assessed intervention.
Authors are strongly encouraged to pre-register clinical trials in an international clinical trials register and provide a reference to the registration in the Methods section. Suitable databases include clinicaltrials.gov, the EU Clinical Trials Register, and those listed by the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.
Obtaining approval from a local, regional, or national review body to conduct a study is not equivalent to prospective clinical trial registration. Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal reserves the right to reject papers that lack trial registration for further peer-review. However, if the study protocol has been published before enrollment, registration can be waived with the correct citation of the published protocol.
When submitting the results of a randomized trial to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, it is required to include a completed CONSORT 2010 checklist and flow diagram. These templates can be found on the CONSORT website (http://www.consort-statement.org). The checklist covers important aspects of reporting and should be addressed item by item in your article.
Guidelines for Research with Dual Use Concerns
At Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal, we adhere to a practical framework outlined in the Guidance for Editors: Research, Audit, and Service Evaluations, as prescribed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Research that carries the potential for significant threats with broad consequences to public health or national security should be explicitly identified in the manuscript. Authors are required to articulate any potential dual-use aspects of their research in the cover letter submitted with the manuscript. This includes, but is not limited to, considerations related to biosecurity, nuclear and chemical threats, and research intended for military application. To undergo peer review, these manuscripts must demonstrate that the benefits to the general public or public health outweigh potential risks. Authors bear the responsibility of adhering to pertinent national and international laws governing dual-use research.
Sex and Gender in Research
We encourage authors to follow the ‘Sex and Gender Equity in Research – SAGER – guidelines’ and consider the inclusion of sex and gender considerations where relevant. It is important to distinguish between the terms “sex” (biological attribute) and “gender” (influenced by social and cultural factors) to avoid confusion. Article titles and abstracts should clearly indicate which sex(es) the study applies to. Authors should describe in the background whether sex and/or gender differences may be expected, explain how they were accounted for in the study design, provide disaggregated data by sex and/or gender when appropriate, and discuss the relevant results. If a sex and/or gender analysis was not conducted, the rationale should be provided in the discussion. We recommend that authors consult the full guidelines before submitting their work.
Borders and Territories
Authors should respect potential disputes over borders and territories when describing their research or providing an author or editor correspondence address. Content decisions regarding this matter are handled by the editorial team, and in cases of potential or perceived disputes or complaints, efforts will be made to find a resolution satisfactory to all parties involved. Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal maintains neutrality concerning jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Publication Ethics Statement
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal is a member of the COPE and adheres to its Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines. We have strict ethical policies and standards in place to ensure the publication of high-quality scientific works. We take issues of plagiarism, data falsification, image manipulation, and inappropriate authorship credit very seriously and have a zero tolerance policy.
Authors submitting papers to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal must comply with the following ethical guidelines:
- Any potential conflict of interest must be disclosed in the paper before submission.
- Authors should accurately present their research findings and provide an objective discussion of their significance.
- Sufficient details of the data and methods used in the research should be provided so that other researchers can replicate the work.
- Authors are encouraged to deposit raw data publicly before manuscript submission. Raw data should be readily available for presentation to referees and journal editors if requested. Authors should retain the raw data for a reasonable period after publication.
- Simultaneous submission of manuscripts to multiple journals is not allowed.
- The journal accepts exact translations of previously published work but adheres to specific policies regarding translations.
- If errors or inaccuracies are found in a published paper, authors should promptly inform the editors so that appropriate actions can be taken. Our policy on updating published papers should be followed.
- Manuscripts should not contain any information that has already been published. If including figures or images from previous publications, authors must obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish under the CC-BY license.
- Plagiarism, data fabrication, and image manipulation are strictly prohibited.
---- Plagiarism includes copying text, ideas, images, or data from another source without proper credit, even from one’s own publications. Proper citation and quotation marks should be used when reusing text.
----Image files must not be manipulated in ways that could misinterpret the original information. Irregular image manipulation includes enhancing, removing, or moving features from the original image, grouping images incorrectly, or modifying contrast, brightness, or color balance to obscure or enhance information.
----We use Turnitin software to check for plagiarism in all submissions. If plagiarism is detected during peer review, the manuscript may be rejected. If plagiarism is discovered after publication, appropriate investigations and actions will be taken.
- Any allegations of publication misconduct will be thoroughly investigated by our in-house editors, and the authors’ institutions or funders may be contacted if necessary. If misconduct is found, we will take appropriate action, including corrections or retractions. Authors are expected to adhere to ethical publication practices when submitting to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal.
Citation Policy
Authors should properly cite and obtain permission when using material from other sources, including their own published writing. Excessive self-citation should be avoided. Authors should not include references from publications they have not read or preferentially cite their own, friends’, peers’, or institution’s publications. Advertisements or advertorial material should not be cited. When directly quoting wording from other researchers or their own work, appropriate citations and quotation marks should be used. COPE guidelines on citation manipulation and best practices should be followed.
Reviewer Suggestions
- Please suggest three potential reviewers with the appropriate expertise to review the manuscript during the submission process.
- The editors may not necessarily approach these referees, but their suggestions are valuable for identifying suitable reviewers.
- Provide detailed contact information for each proposed reviewer, including their address, homepage, phone number, and email address.
- The proposed reviewers should not be current collaborators of the co-authors.
- The proposed reviewers should not have published with any of the co-authors of the manuscript within the last three years.
- It is preferable that the proposed reviewers are from different institutions than the authors.
- Consider identifying Editorial Board members of the journal as potential reviewers.
- You may suggest reviewers among the authors you have frequently cited in your paper.
Preprints and Conference Papers
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal accepts submissions that have previously been shared as preprints, as long as they have not undergone peer review. Preprints are draft versions of papers made available online before submission to a journal.
Expanded and high-quality conference papers can also be considered for publication as articles if they meet the following requirements:
- The paper should be expanded to the size of a research article.
- The conference paper should be cited and acknowledged on the first page of the paper.
- If the authors do not hold the copyright of the published conference paper, they should obtain appropriate permission from the copyright holder.
- Authors should indicate in their cover letter that the submission is based on a conference paper and provide a statement describing the changes made compared to the original conference paper.
It is important to note that Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal does not publish pilot studies or studies with inadequate statistical power. Therefore, conference papers that do not fulfill the above conditions should not be submitted.
Authorship
Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal adheres to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) regarding authorship criteria. To qualify for authorship of a manuscript, the following criteria should be observed:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work.
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
- Final approval of the version to be published.
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Individuals who have made contributions to the work but do not meet all of the above criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section of the manuscript. The International Council of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides more detailed guidance on authorship.
Any changes to the author list, including the addition or removal of authors, must be approved by all authors, including those being added or removed. The corresponding author should serve as the main point of contact between the editor and the other authors, keeping co-authors informed and involving them in major decisions regarding the publication process. We reserve the right to request confirmation that all authors meet the specified authorship conditions.
Editorial Independence
Lack of Interference with Editorial Decisions: Maintaining editorial independence is of utmost importance to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal. We uphold strict principles that ensure non-interference with editorial decisions. All articles submitted to APPJ undergo a thorough peer review process, led by independent editorial boards, and the APPJ staff have no involvement in the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. The editorial decisions are made solely by the academic editor, considering the following factors:
-Suitability of selected reviewers to provide expert evaluation.
- Adequacy of reviewer comments and the author’s response to address the reviewers’ concerns.
- Overall scientific quality and merit of the paper.
At every step of our operation, Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal’s policies are guided by our commitment to foster open and widespread accessibility to scientific research in a timely manner.
Editors and Editorial Staff as Authors: To ensure fairness and avoid conflicts of interest, editorial staff or editors are strictly prohibited from participating in the processing of their own academic work submitted to Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal. Any submissions authored by editorial staff or editors are assigned to a minimum of two independent outside reviewers. The final decision on these submissions is made by other Editorial Board Members who do not have any conflict of interest with the author. This practice ensures an unbiased evaluation process. The journal staff, including the editorial team, are not involved in the handling or decision-making of their own submitted work for Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy Journal.
Conflicts of Interest
According to The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, it is crucial for authors to avoid any agreements with study sponsors, whether for-profit or non-profit, that restrict their access to the complete dataset, interfere with their ability to analyze and interpret the data, or impede their independence in preparing and publishing manuscripts.
To ensure transparency and integrity, all authors are required to disclose any relationships or interests that could potentially influence or bias their work. These conflicts of interest may include financial interests (such as employment, consultancies, ownership of stocks or shares, honoraria, grants or funding, paid expert testimonies, and patent-licensing arrangements) as well as non-financial interests (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, and personal beliefs).
The corresponding author is responsible for including a summary statement in the manuscript, specifically in a separate section titled “Conflicts of Interest,” which should appear just before the reference list. This statement should encompass all the disclosed potential conflicts of interest in a concise format.
Here are examples of conflict of interest disclosures:
- Conflicts of Interest: Author A has received research grants from Company A. Author B has received a speaker honorarium from Company X and holds stocks in Company Y. Author C has served as a consultant and expert witness for Company Z. Author D is the inventor of Patent X.
In cases where no conflicts of interest exist, the authors should state:
- Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Ethical violations
The manuscripts will be immediately rejected due to the following ethical violations:
-Plagiarism
-Duplicate/Multiple Submission(s)
-Citation Manipulation
-Data Fabrication and Falsification
-Improper Author Contribution or Attribution
-Redundant Publications
Errata, Author Corrections, Retractions
Errata
Errata provide a means of correcting errors that occurred during the writing, typing, editing, or publication (e.g., a misspelling, a dropped word or line, or mislabeling in a figure) of a published article. Submit Errata via an email attachment to the managing editor of the respective journal.
Author Corrections
Author Corrections provide a means of correcting errors of omission (e.g., author names or citations) and errors of a scientific nature that do not alter the overall basic results or conclusions of a published article. Note that the addition of new results/data is not permitted.
Retractions
Retractions are reserved for major errors or breaches of ethics that, for example, may call into question the source of the data or the validity of the results and conclusions of an article.
Retraction of a paper is applied in the following cases:
-The paper leads to ethical violations (plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, simultaneous submissions, duplicate publications, etc.)
-The paper contains errors which couldn’t be corrected in a subsequent erratum notice.
