Herbal Medicines Journal

Herbal Medicines Journal

Peer Review Process

1. Editorial Policy

The Herbal Medicine Journal (HMJ) is committed to maintaining a rigorous, transparent, and fair peer-review process to ensure the scientific quality, methodological soundness, and ethical integrity of all published research in herbal medicine and related disciplines.

The journal follows the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and adheres to internationally accepted peer-review standards.

2. Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial evaluation by the Editorial Office to determine suitability for peer review. This stage includes assessment of:

  • Relevance to the journal’s scope in herbal medicine and phytotherapy
  • Compliance with basic ethical requirements (e.g., IRB approval, consent where applicable)
  • Plagiarism screening and originality check
  • Basic structural and language quality

Manuscripts that do not meet minimum standards may be rejected at this stage without external peer review.

3. Peer Review Model

HMJ operates a Double-blind peer review system, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process.

Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent external reviewers with relevant subject expertise.

4. Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected based on:

  • Subject-matter expertise in herbal medicine, pharmacognosy, ethnopharmacology, or related fields
  • Absence of conflicts of interest
  • Scientific publication record and research experience

Additional expert reviewers may be invited when specialized methodological, chemical, or clinical expertise is required.

5. Evaluation Criteria

Manuscripts are assessed based on the following criteria:

  • Scientific originality and contribution to herbal medicine research
  • Methodological rigor and reproducibility
  • Validity of data analysis and interpretation
  • Ethical compliance and transparency
  • Relevance to clinical, pharmacological, or translational applications

For experimental and clinical studies, reviewers also evaluate:

  • Appropriateness of study design and controls
  • Statistical validity
  • Safety and ethical considerations

6. Editorial Decision Process

The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned handling editor based on reviewer reports. Decisions may include:

  • Accept
  • Minor revision
  • Major revision
  • Reject

Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit, reviewer recommendations, and journal standards. In cases of conflicting reviews, additional expert opinion may be sought.

Note: The average time to first decision is approximately 6–8 weeks, depending on manuscript quality, reviewer availability, and the complexity of the study. The timeline may vary in cases requiring additional rounds of revision or specialized review.

7. Confidentiality and Ethical Conduct

All manuscripts under review are treated as confidential documents. Reviewers must not:

  • Share or discuss manuscript content with unauthorized individuals
  • Use unpublished material for personal or academic advantage
  • Retain manuscript materials after the review process

Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest prior to accepting a review invitation.

8. Revisions

Revised manuscripts may be returned to original reviewers for reassessment to ensure that concerns have been adequately addressed. Additional rounds of revision may be requested when necessary to improve scientific quality and clarity.

9. Appeals Process

Authors may appeal editorial decisions if they believe that:

  • A factual or methodological misunderstanding occurred
  • Reviewer comments contain significant scientific errors or bias

Appeals must be submitted in writing within 14 days of the decision. All appeals are reviewed by the editorial team and, when necessary, an independent adjudicator. The final decision on appeals rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

10. Publication Fees

The Herbal Medicine Journal (HMJ) does not charge any submission fees or Article Processing Charges (APCs). All manuscripts are published free of charge as part of the journal’s open access policy.