Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine

We publish material on all aspects of herbal medicine with emphasis on the philosophy of Western herbal medicine and the phytochemistry, pharmacology and clinical applications of medicinal plants.

Read Instructions for authors: AJHNM manuscript submission guidelines

Contributions to the Journal are welcome. Categories include:

• Letter to the Editor – word count: up to 1000 words
• Commentary/discussion pieces – issues of significant interest to practitioners and researchers in the field of complementary medicine. Word count: up to 2500 words.
• Original research articles – this section contains empirical research. Word count: up to 3500 words.
• Review articles – literature reviews, systematic reviews. Word count: up to 5000 words.
• Global dispensary – articles from other cultures or traditions. Word count: up to 3500 words for empirical research and 5000 for review articles.
• Case study – a detailed exploration of an interesting case or a case series. Word count: up to 2500 for a case study and 3500 for a case series. For more detail see Writing for publication – case studies.
• Materia medica – covering all aspects of medicinal plants. Word count: up to 3500 words.
• Book reviews – new books of interest to herbalists, naturopaths, integrated medical practitioners and researchers. Word count: up to 1000 words.

Topics for feature articles include:

• All clinical conditions
• Clinical trials
• Quality and safety of medicines
• Monographs
• Evidence based practice
• Traditional use and philosophy
• Education
• Growing and manufacturing
• Sustainability and the environment, social impact
• Public health
• Professional practice and policy

Editorial policy

• Subject material must relate to herbal medicine and its scope of practice.
• Manuscripts are submitted with the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere or are under consideration for publication elsewhere except in the form of an abstract.
• Accepted manuscripts become the property of the Australian Journal of Herbal & Naturopathic Medicine and will be copyrighted by the Naturopaths & Herbalists Association of Australia.
• Contributions are subject to peer review and editing.
• Any author whose name appears on the manuscript assumes responsibility and accountability for the final published manuscript.

By submitting a manuscript to the Australian Journal of Herbal & Naturopathic Medicine the author/s agrees to each of the above conditions.

Peer review

• All feature articles will be reviewed by two independent peer reviewers.
• Reviewed articles will be returned to the author for modification if required.

Contribution requirements

• Files should be saved as a Word document, emailed to the Editor at editorajhnm@nhaa.org.au as a complete version.
• All graphs, tables and pictures not in Word form must be included as .tif or .jpeg quality files or as a high resolution pdf.
• All statements must be referenced and a full reference list must be included. If the statement is the author’s observation or opinion this should be made clear.
• All statements should be of a professional nature and exclude any inflammatory, derogatory or other inappropriate style of writing.
• An abstract of the paper should be included and should be no longer than 250 words.
• Botanical names must be used in the first appearance, thereafter either the botanical or common name can be used.
• Please refer to the AJHNM manuscript submission guidelines for more details

(MACA) Mentor an Author in exchange for Co-Authorship

Ever thought that you would like to share your wisdom, experiences and new information about herbal medicine and naturopathy in a published article, but need stronger writing techniques? Well, your journal, the Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine, might have just the ticket. Since 2019, the journal has offered practitioners, lecturers and students and anyone interested, access to a mentorship program, where authors of original manuscripts are paired with an experienced published, academic author, to work one-on-one in return for co-authorship of the article. It is called the MACA program. Very few herbalists and naturopaths have experience publishing in peer reviewed, scientific journals, yet publication in this way supports recognition of authors with citable information, builds fruitful collaborations and bolsters the reliability of the evidence base. It also supports the journal through publication of authentic knowledge, and boosts herbal medicine and naturopathy in academic landscapes. At the AJHNM, there is nothing that makes us more proud than publishing the excellent work of Australian herbalists and naturopaths. So if you would like support getting your words out there, the way you want them, concise and precise, put pen to paper and submit a manuscript here and if the article looks like it could benefit from MACA input, we will get in touch, and send you more information

How to submit

You can submit your manuscript online here. If you have any additional questions, you can contact the AJHNM editor at journal@nhaa.org.au.

Susan Arentz PhD.

Susan Arentz is a naturopath with over 20 years translational research experience in integrative gynecology, women’s health promotion, women’s mental and emotional health and women’s public health issues. Dr Arentz’s expert knowledge of clinical trials and evidence synthesis has informed clinical practice guidelines, and the implementation of clinical recommendations for clinicians and consumers. Dr Arentz’s research is grounded in her clinical practice as a naturopathic practitioner. She practices in an integrative gynecology setting, providing collaborative team-based healthcare with specialist multidisciplinary teams, including leading academic obstetricians, gynecologists and reproductive endocrinologists.

As Editor the AJHNM, Dr Arentz is committed to building research capacity and quality of naturopathic and herbal medicine research. She is an experienced lecturer and educator in western herbal medicine, nutrition and naturopathic clinical practice.