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Author Guidelines

The International Journal of Ayush Darpan (IJAD) welcomes manuscripts related to Ayurveda, Yoga, AYUSH systems, traditional medicine, complementary healthcare, integrative health, and related health sciences.

Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting your manuscript.

Basic Submission Requirements

Your manuscript must:

  • Be original and written by the listed authors.

  • Not have been published previously.

  • Not be under review by another journal.

  • Be written in clear academic English.

  • Follow all applicable research and publication ethics.

  • Follow the manuscript format described below.

Submitting a manuscript does not guarantee acceptance or publication. Every submission will first be checked by the editorial team.

Types of Manuscripts Accepted

IJAD accepts:

  • Original Research Articles

  • Review Articles

  • Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

  • Clinical Studies

  • Case Reports

  • Case Series

  • Research Protocols

  • Short Communications

  • Perspectives and Commentaries

  • Editorials

  • Letters to the Editor

Recommended Word Limits

Manuscript Types and Word Limits

Authors should prepare their manuscripts according to the requirements listed below.​​​​​

1. Original Research Article

  • Word limit: 3,000–6,000 words

  • Abstract: 250–300 words, structured

  • References: Up to 50

2. Review Article

  • Word limit: 4,000–8,000 words

  • Abstract: 250–300 words

  • References: Up to 100

3. Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis

  • Word limit: 4,000–8,000 words

  • Abstract: 250–300 words, structured

  • References: Up to 100

4. Clinical Study

  • Word limit: 3,000–6,000 words

  • Abstract: 250–300 words, structured

  • References: Up to 50

5. Case Report

  • Word limit: 1,500–3,000 words

  • Abstract: 150–200 words

  • References: Up to 25

6. Case Series

  • Word limit: 2,000–4,000 words

  • Abstract: 150–250 words

  • References: Up to 40

7. Research Protocol

  • Word limit: 2,500–5,000 words

  • Abstract: 250–300 words, structured

  • References: Up to 50

8. Short Communication

  • Word limit: 1,000–2,000 words

  • Abstract: Up to 150 words

  • References: Up to 20

9. Perspective or Commentary

  • Word limit: 1,500–3,000 words

  • Abstract: Up to 200 words

  • References: Up to 30

10. Editorial

  • Word limit: 1,000–1,500 words

  • Abstract: Usually not required

  • References: Up to 15

11. Letter to the Editor

  • Word limit: Up to 1,000 words

  • Abstract: Not required

  • References: Up to 10

Important Note

The word limit does not include:

  • Abstract

  • References

  • Tables

  • Figure descriptions

  • Acknowledgments

  • Supplementary file​​​​​​​​​​​

Language and Traditional Terms

Manuscripts must be written in clear academic English.

Authors are responsible for checking:

  • Grammar

  • Spelling

  • Clarity

  • Accuracy

  • Consistency

Sanskrit, Ayurvedic, botanical, and traditional terms should be written consistently. Explain the English meaning when the term is used for the first time.

Botanical names must be italicized and written according to accepted scientific naming standards.

How to Submit

Send your manuscript by email to:

ayushdarpanjournal@gmail.com

Use this email subject line:

Manuscript Submission – Manuscript Type – Short Title

For example:

Manuscript Submission – Review Article – Ayurveda and Women’s Health

Submit the manuscript as a Microsoft Word file or another editable file. You may also attach a PDF for reference, but a PDF should not be the only file submitted.

Files Required for Submission

Please attach:

  1. Cover letter

  2. Separate title page

  3. Main manuscript without author information

  4. Tables in an editable format

  5. Figures as separate, high-quality files

  6. Supplementary material, if applicable

  7. Appropriate reporting-guideline checklist, if applicable

  8. Ethical-approval and consent documents, if applicable

  9. Permission for reused copyrighted material, if applicable

Cover Letter

Your cover letter should include:

  • Manuscript title

  • Type of manuscript

  • A short explanation of why the manuscript is suitable for IJAD

  • Confirmation that the manuscript is original

  • Confirmation that it has not been published before

  • Confirmation that it is not under review elsewhere

  • Confirmation that all authors approved the submission

  • Details of any related manuscript or previous presentation

  • Funding information

  • Conflict-of-interest information

  • Details of any significant use of artificial intelligence

  • Suggested reviewers, if requested

Suggested reviewers must be independent. They should not have a recent personal, professional, institutional, supervisory, or research relationship with the authors.

Title Page

Submit the title page as a separate file. It should include:

  • Full manuscript title

  • Short running title

  • Full names of all authors

  • Authors’ academic or professional qualifications

  • Institutional affiliations

  • City and country of each institution

  • ORCID numbers, if available

  • Corresponding author’s name

  • Corresponding author’s email address

  • Corresponding author’s mailing address

  • Total word count

  • Number of tables and figures

  • Funding statement

  • Conflict-of-interest statement

  • Author-contribution statement

  • Acknowledgments, if applicable

Main Manuscript Without Author Information

IJAD uses double-blind peer review. This means the authors and reviewers should not know each other’s identities.

Do not include the following information in the main manuscript:

  • Author names

  • Author affiliations

  • Email addresses

  • ORCID numbers

  • Acknowledgments that identify the authors

  • Unnecessary institutional details

  • File information or metadata that identifies an author

Include all identifying information only on the separate title page.

Original Research Article Format

Original Research Articles should generally include:

  1. Title

  2. Structured abstract

  3. Keywords

  4. Introduction

  5. Materials and Methods

  6. Results

  7. Discussion

  8. Study Limitations

  9. Conclusion

  10. Acknowledgments

  11. Author Contributions

  12. Funding Statement

  13. Conflict-of-Interest Statement

  14. Ethical Approval

  15. Informed Consent

  16. Data Availability Statement

  17. References

  18. Tables

  19. Figure Descriptions

  20. Supplementary Material, if applicable

Abstract

For an Original Research Article, use the following headings:

  • Background

  • Objective

  • Materials and Methods

  • Results

  • Conclusion

The abstract must accurately summarize the manuscript. Do not include references or claims that are not supported by the main article.

Keywords

Add three to six keywords after the abstract.

Choose words that clearly describe the subject of your manuscript and can help readers find your article through online searches.

Review Articles

A Review Article should explain:

  • The purpose of the review

  • The subject covered

  • How the literature was searched

  • Which databases or sources were used

  • How studies were selected

  • What the available evidence shows

  • Limitations of the available evidence

  • Conclusions and future research needs

Clearly identify whether the article is a narrative review or a systematic review.

Research Reporting Guidelines

Follow the reporting guideline that applies to your study:

GuidelineType of Study

CONSORTRandomized controlled trials

STROBEObservational studies

PRISMASystematic reviews and meta-analyses

CARECase reports

SPIRITClinical-trial protocols

ARRIVEAnimal research

The journal may ask you to submit a completed reporting checklist.

Research Involving People

Research involving human participants must follow applicable ethical standards.

The manuscript should include:

  • Name of the approving Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board

  • Approval number

  • Approval date

  • Confirmation that informed consent was obtained

  • Explanation of how participants’ privacy was protected

If ethical approval was not required, explain why.

Do not include a patient’s name, photograph, or identifying information without written permission.

Clinical-Trial Registration

Clinical trials should be registered in a recognized public clinical-trial registry before enrolling participants when required.

Include:

  • Registry name

  • Registration number

  • Registration date

Ayurvedic and Traditional Interventions

When writing about an Ayurvedic or traditional treatment, provide enough information for readers to understand and evaluate the intervention.

Include, when applicable:

  • Classical or textual basis

  • Names and sources of herbs or formulations

  • Botanical names

  • Parts of plants used

  • Preparation or manufacturing method

  • Dosage

  • Method of administration

  • Frequency and duration

  • Quality-control procedures

  • Other treatments given at the same time

  • Safety monitoring

  • Adverse events

  • Practitioner qualifications

  • Reason for selecting the treatment

For metal- or mineral-containing preparations, clearly explain the ingredients, preparation method, dosage, quality control, safety assessment, ethical approval, and relevant regulatory considerations.

Authorship

Only individuals who made a significant contribution should be listed as authors.

Every author must:

  • Contribute to the research or manuscript

  • Review or help write the manuscript

  • Approve the final version

  • Accept responsibility for the work

Guest, honorary, purchased, and ghost authorship are not allowed.

People who helped but do not qualify as authors may be named in the acknowledgments with their permission.

Author Contributions

Describe what each author contributed.

Examples include:

  • Concept and study design

  • Methodology

  • Data collection

  • Investigation

  • Data analysis

  • Writing the first draft

  • Reviewing and editing

  • Supervision

  • Project administration

  • Funding

Conflict of Interest

Disclose any financial, personal, academic, professional, institutional, or commercial relationship that could affect the research or appear to influence it.

If there is no conflict of interest, write:

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.

Funding

Clearly identify all financial or material support received for the research.

If no funding was received, write:

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Also explain whether the funding organization was involved in the study design, data collection, analysis, writing, or publication decision.

Data Availability

Research articles should include a Data Availability Statement.

Explain whether the data are:

  • Publicly available

  • Available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request

  • Restricted because of privacy, legal, ethical, or confidentiality requirements

  • Included in the article or supplementary files

  • Not applicable

Do not share data that could violate participant privacy or confidentiality.

Plagiarism and Originality

The journal may check manuscripts using similarity-detection software.

Plagiarism includes:

  • Copying without proper citation

  • Improper paraphrasing

  • Using another person’s ideas or data without acknowledgment

  • Submitting the same article to more than one journal

  • Reusing previously published work without disclosure

  • Reusing tables, figures, or images without permission

A manuscript containing plagiarism or duplicate publication may be rejected. Problems discovered after publication may lead to a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Authors must disclose any significant use of generative AI in preparing:

  • Manuscript text

  • Images

  • Translations

  • Computer code

  • Data analysis

  • Other submitted material

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for:

  • Accuracy

  • Originality

  • Reference verification

  • Confidentiality

  • Research integrity

  • Publication ethics

AI must not be used to create false data, references, images, patient information, or research findings.

Basic spelling, grammar, and formatting assistance usually does not need to be disclosed unless the tool significantly created or changed the scholarly content.

References

IJAD follows the Vancouver reference style.

References must:

  • Be numbered in the order they first appear

  • Be cited with numbers in the text

  • Be accurate and complete

  • Be checked against the original source

  • Include a DOI when available

Authors are responsible for checking every reference. False, inaccurate, or AI-generated references are not acceptable.

Tables

Tables must:

  • Be numbered in order

  • Have a clear title

  • Be mentioned in the text

  • Be submitted in an editable format

  • Explain abbreviations in footnotes

  • Identify the source of reused information

Do not submit tables as images unless specifically requested.

Figures

Figures must:

  • Be numbered in order

  • Be mentioned in the text

  • Include a complete description or legend

  • Be submitted as separate, high-quality files

  • Protect patient identity

  • Include permission for reused copyrighted material

Any significant image editing must be disclosed. Images must not be changed in a way that misrepresents the research.

Copyright and Open Access

Authors retain copyright in their published work and give IJAD the right of first publication.

Unless otherwise stated, articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, also called CC BY 4.0.

Authors may share and reuse their published work as long as the original IJAD article is properly cited.

Submission and Publication Fees

There is currently:

  • No manuscript-submission fee

  • No article-processing charge

  • No publication fee

If the journal introduces a fee in the future, complete information will be published before the fee applies.

Payment will never guarantee acceptance or publication. Editorial decisions are based on originality, quality, relevance, ethical compliance, and peer-review results.

Revisions

If the journal requests revisions, submit:

  • Revised manuscript

  • Point-by-point response to every comment

  • Version showing the changes, if requested

  • Clean final version

A request for revision does not guarantee acceptance.

Withdrawal

To withdraw a manuscript, the corresponding author must email the journal and explain the reason.

Do not submit the manuscript to another journal until IJAD confirms the withdrawal.

Final Checklist

Before submitting, make sure that:

  • The manuscript is original and unpublished.

  • It is not under review elsewhere.

  • All authors approved the submission.

  • The subject is suitable for IJAD.

  • The cover letter is attached.

  • The separate title page is attached.

  • Author information has been removed from the main manuscript.

  • The required abstract and keywords are included.

  • References follow Vancouver style.

  • Tables and figures are numbered and cited.

  • Ethical approval is reported when required.

  • Informed consent is reported when required.

  • Clinical-trial registration is included when required.

  • Funding is disclosed.

  • Conflicts of interest are disclosed.

  • Author contributions are included.

  • A Data Availability Statement is included when required.

  • Significant AI use is disclosed.

  • Copyright permissions have been obtained.

  • The appropriate reporting checklist is attached.

  • All required files are included.

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