Indian Journal of Pharmacology

Indian Journal of Pharmacology
Title	Indian Journal of Pharmacology
Discipline	Pharmacology
Language	English
Publisher	Indian Pharmacological Society
Country	India
History	1969–present
Frequency	Bimonthly

Indian Journal of Pharmacology The Indian Journal of Pharmacology is a peer-reviewed periodical associated with the Indian Pharmacological Society and publishes original research, reviews, and commentaries in experimental and clinical pharmacology. It serves as a nexus for contributors from institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, and international centers like National Institutes of Health, Imperial College London, Harvard Medical School who study drug action, therapeutics, and pharmacovigilance. Editors and authors affiliated with organizations including World Health Organization, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Elsevier, and Springer Nature have appeared in its pages, reflecting ties to societies such as the Royal Society of Medicine, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and European Medicines Agency.

History

The journal was established in 1969 during a period of expansion in Indian scientific publishing influenced by figures and institutions like C. V. Raman-era universities, the University Grants Commission (India), and policy initiatives connected to the Five-Year Plans (India), with early editors drawing on networks including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, Madras Medical College, and King George's Medical University. Over decades it has paralleled milestones such as the rise of molecular pharmacology in the era of Paul Ehrlich-inspired research, the advent of regulatory frameworks exemplified by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and collaborations with international conferences like the World Congress of Pharmacology and meetings hosted by the Indian Science Congress Association. Shifts in editorial strategy reflected trends seen at journals such as The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, and Science Translational Medicine.

Scope and Editorial Policy

The journal’s remit includes experimental pharmacology, clinical pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenomics, attracting submissions from laboratories associated with All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, and hospitals like Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Editorial policies align with standards promoted by bodies such as the Committee on Publication Ethics, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and regulatory guidance from the Drugs Controller General of India, while ethical oversight echoes practices from institutions like Johns Hopkins Medicine and Mayo Clinic. The journal encourages conflict-of-interest disclosures referencing sponsors from entities such as GSK, Pfizer, Novartis, and Cipla when applicable, and it implements authorship criteria consistent with norms from World Medical Association documents.

Publication and Access

Published bimonthly by the Indian Pharmacological Society, the journal offers subscription and open-access options that mirror models used by Public Library of Science, BioMed Central, and Hindawi. Distribution channels have included partnerships with publishers and aggregators like EBSCO, ProQuest, Scopus', and library systems at universities such as University of Delhi, University of Cambridge, and University of California. Digital archiving practices reference repositories akin to PubMed Central and national archives maintained by the National Digital Library of India, with indexing strategies coordinated alongside services such as MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in databases comparable to Index Medicus, Science Citation Index Expanded, Scopus, Embase, and specialist compilations associated with Biological Abstracts and Chemical Abstracts Service. Inclusion in such databases facilitates discoverability alongside journals like British Journal of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, and European Journal of Pharmacology, and supports metric aggregation by services including Journal Citation Reports and SCImago Journal Rank.

Impact and Reception

Citations and impact metrics place the journal within the ecosystem of regional and international pharmacology publications, with comparisons frequently drawn to periodicals such as British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, PLOS ONE, BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Frontiers in Pharmacology. Reviews in forums connected to Indian Council of Medical Research meetings, presentations at the Indian Science Congress, and commentary from researchers at AIIMS and IIT Bombay reflect its role in regional policy discussions and educational syllabi at medical colleges including Grant Medical College and Madras Medical College.

Notable Articles and Contributions

The journal has published influential reports on topics like antimicrobial resistance studied alongside institutions such as Christian Medical College Vellore, vaccine pharmacovigilance linked to Serum Institute of India, and herbal pharmacology connected to research at Central Drug Research Institute and National Botanical Research Institute. Landmark contributions have cited collaborations with international groups from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and trial networks affiliated with World Health Organization initiatives, influencing clinical guidelines and formulary decisions referenced by hospital pharmacies at Apollo Hospitals and public health programs managed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India).

Editorial Board and Peer Review Process

The editorial board comprises academics and clinicians from institutions such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Tata Memorial Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Queen Mary University of London, and University of Sydney, reflecting geographic diversity across regions including Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Peer review follows single- or double-blind models used by journals like BMJ and The Lancet, with reviewers drawn from networks associated with societies such as the Indian Pharmacological Society, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and regional committees that include members from Drug Controller General of India panels.

Category:Pharmacology journals