About the Journal

Contemporary Research in Natural Products (CRNP) is the official open-access journal of the Malaysian Society of Natural Products (MNPS), dedicated to sharing knowledge and documenting information which will potentially be of value towards application of natural products as medicine, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, aroma chemicals, and agrochemicals. The journal publishes original scholarly contributions in natural products research, focusing on substances derived from terrestrial and marine plants, microbes, and animals. It considers interdisciplinary articles that explore the chemistry, biology, biochemistry and preclinical pharmacology of natural products, utilizing contemporary methods and approaches in the relevant fields. Critical reviews, full research papers, and short communications are welcomed.

The journal emphasizes quality studies that expand scientific knowledge and ensure the reproducibility of the published results. Therefore:

  • All natural extracts that are quantitatively characterized are highly welcome. The plant materials used in the studies must be identified according to The Plant List, and a voucher specimen must be deposited with the relevant institution. The same procedures apply to products of other origins (animal, fungal, bacterial, etc.), which must also be properly identified and deposited. 
  • For manuscripts containing new synthetic bioactive compounds, the journal requires full characterization using appropriate analytical methods, including sufficient evidence of the composition, structure, purity and melting point range of the compound. Studies involving the chemical biology or bioorganic/bioinorganic chemistry that significantly advances knowledge of a biological mechanism
  • Studies involving animal studies must include approval from institutional or national ethics committees, with process/protocol numbers provided. If approval is not required, a justification must be included. 
  • While the journal welcomes studies based on molecular docking, they must be accompanied by experimental validation. Manuscripts that are purely theoretical or computational will not be considered.

All articles are made freely and permanently available online through open access publication with incurred the Article Processing Charge (APC) of MYR350 per accepted article.

Topics may include:

  • Isolation, structure elucidation, biosynthesis, and organic synthesis
  • Traditional medicines standardization, sustainability, and ecological issues
  • Green chemistry, biotransformation, and biocircular economy development
  • In silico and in vitro assessments of biological activities and mechanisms of action 
  • Taxonomic, chemical, and biological informatics and database development
  • Metabolomics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) 
  • Preclinical pharmacology 
  • Development of natural product delivery systems
  • Assessment of environmental change on natural product resources
  • Impact of defossilization on natural medicines

Manuscripts that focus on clinical studies are outside the scope of the journal.