Studies on Cistanches Herba: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

As a famous tonic herb, Cistanches Herba is known for its broad medicinal functions, especially its hormone balancing, anti-aging, anti-dementia, anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of studies on Cistanche and to identify research hotspots and frontier topics on the genus. Based on the metrological analysis software CiteSpace, 443 Cistanche related papers were quantitatively reviewed. The results indicate that 330 institutions from 46 countries have publications in this field. China was the leading country in terms of research importance and number of publication (335 articles). In the past decades, studies on Cistanche have mainly focused on its rich active substances and pharmacological effects. Although the research trend shows that Cistanche has grown from an endangered species to an important industrial plant, its breeding and cultivation continue to be important areas for research. In the future, the application of Cistanche species as functional foods may be a new research trend. In addition, active collaborations among researchers, institutions, and countries are expected.

Based on CiteSpace Insights into Illicium verum Hook. f. Current Hotspots and Emerging Trends and China Resources Distribution

“…The application of the CiteSpace tool has facilitated the identification of research hotspots and trends across a spectrum of scientific disciplines, thereby significantly advancing scientific inquiry. Notably, this tool has been instrumental in fields such as food science [12,19], medicine [20], traditional Chinese medicine [21], and ecology [22], where it has helped to distill complex information and highlight areas ripe for further exploration. I. verum, as a globally significant research material, has been the subject of several literature reviews.…”