Submissions

Author Guidelines

All submitted manuscripts must adhere to the standard structure outlined below. Manuscripts that do not comply with this structure may be returned for revision before peer review.

SAPS official journal template

Authors are encouraged, but not required, to use the official SAPS journal template when preparing their manuscripts for initial submission. Manuscripts not submitted in the journal template will be formatted by the editorial team upon acceptance. Please note that the use of the journal template does not imply or guarantee acceptance of the manuscript.

Download the template: SAPS official journal template

Cover Letter
A cover letter is mandatory and must be submitted along with the manuscript at the time of submission to the SAPS.

The cover letter should:

• Clearly state the title of the manuscript and the type of article being submitted (e.g., original research, review, short communication).
• Provide a brief overview of the objective, novelty, and significance of the study.
• Confirm that the manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• Declare that all authors have approved the manuscript and agree with its submission.
• Include statements on ethical approval, informed consent, conflict of interest, and funding, where applicable.
• Suggest 2 potential peer reviewers (with names, affiliations, and emails).

Download the SAPS cover letter format

Note: Manuscripts submitted without a cover letter may be returned without review. Please upload the cover letter as a separate file during the submission process.

Article Types
SAPS accepts a variety of article types that make meaningful contributions to the advancement of pharmaceutical sciences. Each submission must meet the journal’s scientific, ethical, and formatting standards and will undergo a rigorous peer review process.

The following article categories are accepted:
1. Original Research Articles
2. Review Articles
3. Short Communications
4. Case Reports (with Pharmaceutical Relevance)
5. Opinion Articles / Perspectives

For more details, please visit: Article Types 

Title Page
The title page should include:

• Title of the Manuscript: A concise, specific, and informative title, written in sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns capitalized).
• Author Names: Full names of all authors without titles (e.g., Dr., Prof., etc.).
• Affiliations: Department, institution, city, and country for each author. Use superscript numbers to link authors to affiliations if multiple affiliations are listed.
• Corresponding Author: Name, full postal address, email, and phone number of the corresponding author, who will handle all correspondence throughout the peer review and publication process.

Example:
John A. Smith¹*, Priya R. Mehta²
¹Department of Pharmacology, XYZ University, New Delhi, India
²Department of Pharmaceutics, ABC Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
*Corresponding Author: John A. Smith, johnsmith@xyz.edu.in

Authorship criteria
SAPS follows the authorship guidelines recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to ensure integrity, accountability, and transparency in scientific publishing. Authorship implies significant intellectual contribution and responsibility for the published work. Only individuals who meet all four criteria listed below are eligible to be listed as authors.

For more details, please visit: Authorship Criteria

Unethical Authorship
SAPS has a zero-tolerance policy toward unethical authorship practices and such Such practices may result in manuscript rejection, retraction, and reporting to the authors' institutions.

For more details, please visit: Unethical Authorship 

Abstract and Keywords
Abstract (Max 300 words)
The abstract should clearly summarize the research purpose, methods, main findings, and conclusions. It must be concise and standalone, enabling readers to grasp the study without needing to read the full article.

Structured Abstract (for Original Research Articles):

• Background: Brief context and objective
• Methods: Experimental design, materials, and key procedures
• Results: Summary of main findings with data
• Conclusion: Key takeaway message and future perspective

Unstructured Abstract (for Reviews, Short Communications):

• A single-paragraph summary covering the scope, findings, and conclusion.

Keywords: 4–6 relevant keywords, separated by semicolons, placed below the abstract. Avoid terms already in the title.

Standard of Reporting
To ensure transparency, reproducibility, and scientific integrity, authors submitting to the SAPS are strongly encouraged to adhere to recognized reporting guidelines appropriate to the design and type of their study.

For more details, please visit: Standard of Reporting

Introduction
This section should provide:

• A brief background of the study topic
• The significance of the research problem
• A review of key literature and knowledge gaps
• The hypothesis or objective of the current study

Avoid detailed descriptions of methods or results in this section.

Materials and Methods
Describe in sufficient detail how the study was conducted, including:

• Materials used (drugs, reagents, instruments, software, animals, etc.)
• Study design and procedures
• Ethical approval (name of institution, approval ID if applicable)
• Sample size and statistical analysis methods
• Controls used, randomization or blinding, if applicable
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria for clinical studies
• Reproducibility: Include enough detail to allow replication by other researchers

If previously published methods are used, provide citations and mention modifications if any.

Results

• Present the findings of your study clearly and concisely.
• Use tables, graphs, and figures for clarity (embed them in the manuscript and also upload high-quality files separately).
• Avoid interpretation in this section; state the results.
• Each table/figure must be numbered sequentially and accompanied by a descriptive legend

Example subheadings:

• “Effect of Drug X on Blood Glucose Levels”
• “Antioxidant Activity of Extract Y in DPPH Assay”

Discussion

• Interpret and compare your findings with previous studies
• Discuss the scientific relevance, mechanisms, and implications
• Explain any unexpected results or limitations
• Avoid repeating data already presented in the Results section

Conclusion

• A concise paragraph summarizing the core message and implications of the study
• Do not include new data or citations here
• Provide suggestions for future research if applicable

Author Contribution Statement
All submitted manuscripts must include a Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT)-based author contribution statement.

For more details, please visit: Author Contribution Statement

Acknowledgments (if applicable)
Mention any individuals, institutions, or funding bodies that assisted in the research but do not meet authorship criteria. This includes:

• Technical help
• Administrative support
• Grants/funding agencies

Example: “The authors gratefully acknowledge the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, for financial support (Grant No. XXXX).”

Conflicts of Interest Statement
Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Example: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
OR
“Author X received funding from Company Y for unrelated work.”

Funding Disclosure
Clearly indicate any financial support received for the study.
Example: “This study was supported by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, under Grant No. XXXX.”

If no funding was received, write: “This research received no external funding.”

Data Availability Statement
Authors are required to include a Data Availability Statement in their manuscript, clearly describing where and how the data supporting their findings can be accessed.

For more details, please visit: Data Availability Statement

Ethical Considerations
SAPS is dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards in research and publishing. All authors submitting manuscripts to the journal must adhere to internationally accepted ethical guidelines, especially in studies involving human participants, animals, and sensitive data.

Human Participants
Studies involving human subjects must comply with the ethical principles outlined in:

• The Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision or latest)
• The guidelines of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee where the research was conducted

Authors must clearly state in the Materials and Methods section:

• The name of the approving ethics committee
• The approval/reference number
• That informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians

Example: “This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of XYZ Medical College, India (Approval No. IEC/2023/Pharm/078). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.”

If the study involves minors or vulnerable populations, informed consent must be obtained from parents or legal representatives, and assent should be considered where appropriate.

Animal Research
All research involving animals must follow:

• International guidelines such as the ARRIVE guidelines, OECD, or CPCSEA (in India)
• Approval from a recognized Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) or equivalent body

The manuscript must include:

• The name of the approving committee
• The protocol number
• A statement confirming adherence to standard animal welfare practices

Example: “All experimental procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of ABC University (Protocol No. IAEC/2023/112) and conducted in accordance with CPCSEA guidelines.”

Animals should be housed, handled, and treated humanely, and every effort should be made to minimize pain and discomfort.

Ethical Compliance Statements
All authors must include a dedicated section titled “Ethical Approval” and “Informed Consent” (as applicable) in the manuscript, typically before the Acknowledgments.

If the study does not involve humans or animals, authors must clearly state:
“This study did not involve any human participants or animal subjects.”

Clinical Trials
Clinical trials must be registered in a public trials registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, CTRI, or ISRCTN) before recruitment begins. The registration number should be provided in the manuscript.

Data Protection and Privacy
Authors must ensure that no personally identifiable information (e.g., patient names, photographs, or IDs) is disclosed in the manuscript unless explicit consent has been obtained. A statement confirming this must be included if such information is essential to the research.

Ethical Misconduct
Failure to comply with ethical standards or submission of falsified ethics approval will result in:

• Immediate rejection of the manuscript
• Reporting to the authors’ institution or ethics authority
• Retraction if already published

SAPS adheres to the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for addressing all issues of misconduct and ethical concerns.
 
Figures and Tables Guidelines
Figures and tables play a crucial role in presenting data clearly and concisely. Authors must ensure that all visual materials are of high quality, appropriately formatted, and adequately described.

The following guidelines must be strictly followed when preparing Figures and Tables for submission to the SAPS:

General Requirements

• All figures and tables must be embedded at the appropriate locations within the manuscript text for initial review.
• In addition, each figure and table must also be uploaded as a separate file during the submission process to ensure quality during layout and typesetting.
• Tables should be created using the table tool in MS Word; do not use screenshots or images for tables.

Figures must be submitted as high-resolution files in one of the following formats:

• TIFF, JPEG, PNG, SVG, or EPS.
• Minimum resolution: 300 dpi for color and grayscale images, 600 dpi for line drawings
• Minimum width: 5 inches

Numbering and Placement

• Figures and tables must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text using Arabic numerals (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2; Table 1, Table 2).
• Each figure/table must be cited in the manuscript text at the appropriate location (e.g., “As shown in Figure 3…” or “Data are summarized in Table 1”).
• Do not use suffixes (e.g., Figure 1a, 1b) as independent numbers unless necessary; instead, label subfigures within one figure file (e.g., Figure 2a, Figure 2b).

Legends and Captions

• Each figure and table must be accompanied by a clear, self-explanatory legend or caption, placed below figures and above tables.
• Legends should briefly describe the content without repeating information from the main text.
• Include units of measurement and statistical details, such as p-values, mean ± SD, and n-values, where applicable.

Example (Figure Legend): Figure 2. Dose-dependent effect of Compound X on blood glucose levels in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 6). p < 0.05 vs. control.

Example (Table Caption): Table 1. Solubility profile of Drug A in different solvents.

Graphs and Charts

• Graphs should be created using professional software (GraphPad Prism, Excel, R, Python, etc.).
• Avoid 3D effects unless absolutely necessary.
• Use standard units, axis labels, and error bars (with a description of what they represent).
• Axis text and labels should be legible (minimum 8–10 pt when scaled).

Color and Style

• Use coloured figures to improve clarity.
• Avoid red-green combinations to accommodate readers with color vision deficiency.

Table Formatting

• Tables should be editable (not images), cleanly formatted, and without merged cells unless necessary.
• Do not duplicate data in both a figure and a table unless required for clarity.
• Use horizontal lines only above and below the header row and at the end of the table. Avoid vertical lines.

Ethical Considerations

• For figures containing images of human subjects (e.g., clinical photographs), written informed consent must be obtained, and identifying details should be obscured.
• For reproduced or adapted figures/tables from other sources, authors must obtain permission from the copyright holder and provide proper attribution.

Example Attribution: Figure adapted with permission from Smith et al., 2022, © Elsevier.

Note
Figures and tables that do not meet the required quality or formatting standards may result in delays during peer review or typesetting. The editorial team reserves the right to request modifications prior to acceptance.
 
Reference Management
Accurate and consistent referencing is crucial for maintaining academic integrity, properly attributing ideas, and enabling readers to locate the original sources. All authors submitting to the SAPS must ensure that all references are correctly cited in the manuscript and formatted according to the journal’s guidelines.

General Requirements

• All cited references must be relevant, recent, and retrievable.
• References must be cited in the body of the manuscript and listed in the References section at the end.
• SAPS follows the Vancouver referencing style (also known as the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals).
• Use Arabic numerals [1], [2], [3] in square brackets, and cite references in the order they appear in the manuscript.
• The reference list should be numbered consecutively, corresponding to the in-text citations.

Example in text: “Several studies have demonstrated this effect [3,4,6].”

Recommended Reference Management Tools
To ensure formatting consistency and avoid citation errors, authors are strongly encouraged to use reference management software: Zotero, Mendeley

For journal articles:

Author(s). Title of the article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Page range.
Example: Babu GR, Singh AK, Joshi A. Trends in pharmaceutical education in India. Indian J Pharm Educ Res. 2022;56(3):145–151.

For books:

Author(s). Title of the Book. Edition (if not the first). Place of publication: Publisher; Year.
Example: Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM. Pharmacology. 7th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2012.

For book chapters:

Author(s) of chapter. Title of chapter. In: Editor(s), editors. Book Title. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. p. pages.
Example: Aggarwal BB. Inflammation and cancer. In: Aggarwal BB, editor. The Molecular Targets and Therapeutics of Inflammation. New York: Springer; 2011. p. 201–223.

For websites:

Author(s). Title of the page [Internet]. Place of publication: Publisher; Date [cited year month day]. Available from: URL
Example: World Health Organization. Antimicrobial resistance [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2022 [cited 2023 Jul 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance

For conference proceedings:

Author(s). Title of paper. In: Editor(s), editor(s). Title of the proceedings. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. p. pages.

Avoiding Common Errors

• Ensure every reference cited in the text appears in the reference list, and vice versa.
• Do not use footnotes or endnotes for citations.
• Check for consistency in punctuation, abbreviation, and author listing.
• Use et al. only when there are more than 6 authors. List the first six authors followed by "et al."

Plagiarism and Self-Citation

• Authors must cite their own previous work appropriately, without excessive self-citation.
• Avoid copying text directly from references, even if cited.
• SAPS uses plagiarism detection software, and improper referencing may lead to rejection or revision requests.

Note
A well-formatted and up-to-date reference list enhances the credibility of the manuscript. Editors may request authors to revise references for accuracy and formatting during the peer review or production process.

Use of Artificial Intelligence
The SAPS acknowledges the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic research and manuscript preparation. To ensure transparency, accountability, and academic integrity, authors must adhere to the following guidelines regarding the use of generative AI technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, SciNote, etc.)

For more details, please visit: Use of Artificial Intelligence

Submission Checklist for Authors
Before submitting your manuscript to the SAPS, please ensure that the following criteria have been met. Manuscripts not adhering to these guidelines may be returned without review.

For more details, please visit: Submission Checklist