Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
A bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on medicinal and aromatic plants.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, also known by its Spanish title Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas and the abbreviation BLACPMA, is a specialist scientific publication devoted to medicinal and aromatic plants. It serves researchers and other professionals working across areas such as ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, plant biology, cultivation, natural products, traditional medicine, and related fields. The journal publishes in Spanish and English, giving it a regional Latin American and Caribbean identity while also addressing an international research audience. The publication began in 2002 as a communication vehicle for the Latin American community concerned with medicinal and aromatic plants. Its initial role was broader than that of a conventional research journal: it disseminated information about events, developments, and news relating to medicinal and aromatic plants around the world. Its official launch took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the first Latin-American Congress of Phytochemistry. This launch connected the bulletin with the region’s scientific and professional networks in phytochemistry and medicinal-plant research. From its second year, the publication expanded beyond news and communication material by beginning to publish scientific contributions. This transition increased its value as a scholarly forum and gradually established a more formal editorial function. In 2007, the bulletin completed a further change in format, moving from a newsletter-style publication toward a traditional peer-reviewed journal. Following that change, issues generally contained more than five original research papers, reflecting a stronger emphasis on primary scientific literature. The journal retains a communication function alongside its research role. Supplements issued between regular bulletins are used to keep readers informed about events and other developments related to medicinal and aromatic plants. Through this combination of original papers and supplementary communication material, the publication links academic research with the wider professional and scientific community involved in plant-based medicine and aromatic-plant studies. The journal is published on a bimonthly schedule. Its subject coverage encompasses research on all aspects of medicinal and aromatic plants rather than a single plant species, therapeutic system, or scientific discipline. The publication’s bilingual Spanish-and-English model supports researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean while making its work accessible to readers beyond the region. Articles are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution license, and access to the journal’s repository is free. These access and licensing practices position the publication as an openly accessible channel for scholarly communication in its field.
History
The Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants was founded in 2002 as a regional communication publication for people and institutions interested in medicinal and aromatic plants. Its original mission was to keep the Latin American community informed about relevant events and developments taking place worldwide. The publication was officially launched in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the first Latin-American Congress of Phytochemistry, placing it within a regional network focused on phytochemistry and plant-based research. During its first phase, the bulletin functioned primarily as a means of communication and information exchange. This purpose continued through supplements released between regular issues. The supplements provided a way to report on events and news related to medicinal and aromatic plants outside the main issue cycle, preserving the publication’s connection with the broader professional community. The publication began accepting and presenting scientific contributions in its second year. This marked an important expansion of scope, as the bulletin became a venue not only for announcements and community information but also for research dissemination. Over time, its content developed toward a more formal scientific-journal model. A decisive format change occurred in 2007, when the publication officially moved from a newsletter format to a traditional journal format. The journal thereafter generally published more than five original papers per issue. Its editorial identity became centered on peer-reviewed research addressing medicinal and aromatic plants across a wide range of scientific and applied subjects. The journal publishes in both Spanish and English. This bilingual approach reflects its Latin American and Caribbean base while allowing its research to circulate among an international audience. It appears bimonthly and maintains a broad subject scope covering research on medicinal and aromatic plants rather than limiting itself to a particular discipline or geographic subregion. The publication also follows an open-access model. Its articles are released under a Creative Commons Attribution license, and the journal’s repository is freely accessible. This approach supports the dissemination of research among academic readers, practitioners, students, and institutions that may not have access to subscription-based scholarly resources. The journal’s continuing combination of peer-reviewed research, supplements, bilingual publication, and open repository access reflects its evolution from a regional newsletter into a specialized scientific journal.
- 2007
Transition to a traditional journal format
[1]The publication formally changed from a newsletter into a more traditional scientific journal, with issues typically containing more than five original research papers.
- 2003
Scientific contributions introduced
[1]Beginning in its second year, the publication added scientific contributions to its original communication and news-oriented role.
- 2002
Publication established and launched in Buenos Aires
[1]The bulletin was established as a communication tool for the Latin American medicinal- and aromatic-plant community and officially launched during the first Latin-American Congress of Phytochemistry in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Products and positioning
A bilingual, regionally rooted, open-access scientific journal connecting Latin American and Caribbean researchers with the international medicinal- and aromatic-plant research community.
Peer-reviewed scientific journal · 2002
Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
The core publication is a bimonthly peer-reviewed journal covering research on all aspects of medicinal and aromatic plants. It publishes articles in Spanish and English and, following its 2007 format change, generally includes multiple original research papers in each issue. Its open repository and Creative Commons Attribution licensing make the published material freely accessible.
Scholarly communication supplement · 2002
BLACPMA supplements
Supplements issued between regular bulletins extend the publication’s original communication mission. They are used to share information about events, news, and developments connected with medicinal and aromatic plants, complementing the peer-reviewed research published in the regular issues.
Brand decisions
2007
Adoption of a conventional scientific-journal modelStrategyBackground
After beginning to publish scientific contributions in its second year, the publication moved beyond its original newsletter and community-information role.
Action taken
The bulletin formally changed to a more traditional journal format, with issues typically carrying more than five original research papers.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the publication’s identity as a peer-reviewed research journal while retaining supplements for news and event communication.
Recent events
- 2007
Publication moved from newsletter format to traditional journal format[1]
Other
The publication formally adopted a more conventional journal format. Issues typically began carrying more than five original research papers, reinforcing its peer-reviewed scholarly identity.
- 2003
Scientific contributions added from the second year[1]
Product generation
The bulletin began publishing scientific contributions during its second year, broadening its role from an information and communication outlet into a scholarly publication.
- 2002
Bulletin established as a communication platform for medicinal and aromatic plant research[1]
Other
The publication was established to inform the Latin American community about events and worldwide developments concerning medicinal and aromatic plants. Its official launch was held in Buenos Aires during the first Latin-American Congress of Phytochemistry.
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