Aims & Scope
International Journal of Anesthesia (IJAN) publishes rigorous scientific research on anesthetic pharmacology, mechanisms of action, drug delivery systems, physiological responses to anesthetics, and technological innovations in anesthesia equipment and monitoring. We focus on the fundamental science underlying anesthetic agents and techniques, not clinical patient management.
⚠ We do NOT consider clinical case reports, surgical outcomes, or patient treatment protocols
Core Research Domains
Anesthetic Pharmacology & Mechanisms
- Molecular mechanisms of general anesthetics (GABA receptors, NMDA receptors, ion channels)
- Structure-activity relationships of anesthetic compounds
- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anesthetic agents
- Drug interactions at molecular and systemic levels
- Neuropharmacology of sedatives, hypnotics, and analgesics
- Receptor binding studies and computational modeling
"Allosteric modulation of GABA-A receptors by novel propofol derivatives: A molecular dynamics simulation study"
Physiological Responses & Systems Biology
- Cardiovascular physiology under anesthetic conditions
- Respiratory mechanics and gas exchange during anesthesia
- Neurophysiological effects of anesthetic agents (EEG, evoked potentials)
- Metabolic and endocrine responses to anesthetics
- Cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption dynamics
- Neuromuscular junction physiology and blockade mechanisms
"Quantitative EEG analysis of sevoflurane-induced changes in cortical connectivity: A network topology approach"
Drug Delivery Systems & Formulations
- Novel delivery mechanisms for local and regional anesthetics
- Nanoparticle-based anesthetic formulations
- Controlled-release systems for prolonged analgesia
- Transdermal and mucosal delivery technologies
- Liposomal encapsulation of anesthetic agents
- Bioavailability optimization and formulation stability
"Lipid nanoparticle formulation of bupivacaine: In vitro release kinetics and tissue distribution in animal models"
Monitoring Technologies & Instrumentation
- Anesthesia depth monitoring devices and algorithms
- Sensor technologies for real-time drug concentration measurement
- Airway management device design and biomechanics
- Ventilator technology and respiratory monitoring systems
- Neuromuscular monitoring instrumentation
- Signal processing methods for physiological parameter extraction
"Machine learning algorithms for predicting anesthetic depth from multimodal physiological signals: A validation study"
Secondary Focus Areas
Toxicology & Safety Science
- Neurotoxicity mechanisms of anesthetic agents
- Developmental effects in animal models
- Cellular and molecular toxicity pathways
- Mitochondrial dysfunction studies
Computational Modeling
- Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling
- Physiologically-based simulation models
- Molecular docking and virtual screening
- Systems pharmacology approaches
Biomaterials & Interfaces
- Biocompatible materials for anesthesia equipment
- Surface modifications for drug-eluting devices
- Tissue-device interface characterization
- Material degradation and stability studies
Analytical Methods
- Chromatographic techniques for drug quantification
- Mass spectrometry applications
- Spectroscopic analysis methods
- Novel bioanalytical assay development
Genetic & Molecular Studies
- Pharmacogenomics of anesthetic response
- Gene expression profiling under anesthesia
- Genetic polymorphisms affecting drug metabolism
- Molecular pathways of anesthetic action
Biophysics & Mechanics
- Membrane biophysics of anesthetic interactions
- Fluid dynamics in airway management
- Mechanical properties of biological tissues
- Force transmission in neuromuscular systems
Explicitly Out of Scope
-
Clinical case reports and case series
Rationale: We focus on mechanistic science, not individual patient outcomes. Clinical observations without mechanistic investigation should be submitted to clinical anesthesiology journals.
-
Surgical techniques and perioperative management protocols
Rationale: Surgical procedures and clinical care pathways fall outside our biomedical science scope. These belong in surgical or perioperative medicine journals.
-
Healthcare economics and policy analysis
Rationale: Economic evaluations and policy studies lack the experimental or mechanistic focus required for our journal. Consider health services research journals instead.
-
Clinical trial protocols without mechanistic endpoints
Rationale: Purely clinical efficacy trials do not align with our basic science mission. Trials must include mechanistic biomarkers or physiological measurements to be considered.
-
Retrospective chart reviews and epidemiological studies
Rationale: Observational clinical data without experimental validation or mechanistic insight are outside our scope. These are better suited for clinical epidemiology journals.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track Review (14-21 days)
Standard Review (28-35 days)
Requires Strong Justification
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
All submissions must adhere to discipline-specific reporting standards:
- ARRIVE 2.0 for animal studies
- CONSORT for randomized trials
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- STROBE for observational studies
- STARD for diagnostic accuracy
Data Transparency
We require open access to research data:
- Raw data deposition in public repositories
- Analysis code availability (GitHub, Zenodo)
- Detailed methods for reproducibility
- Material availability statements
Ethics & Compliance
Mandatory ethical approvals and declarations:
- IACUC approval for animal research
- IRB approval for human subjects
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Funding source transparency
Preprint Policy
We encourage preprint deposition:
- bioRxiv and medRxiv accepted
- No impact on novelty assessment
- Must be declared at submission
- Version control required
Publication Metrics & Performance
Days to First Decision
Acceptance Rate
Days to Publication
Article Processing Charge
Ready to Submit Your Research?
If your work aligns with our scope and meets our rigorous standards, we invite you to submit your manuscript for consideration.
Submit Manuscript
