Emerging Trends and Conceptual Mapping in Network Pharmacology Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (2008-2023) Using VOSviewer
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
Abstract
Background: Network Pharmacology (NP) aims to understand drug actions and their interactions with multiple targets using computational methods. Objectives: This provides a network-based approach to comprehensively investigating the effects of drugs on complex biological systems. The main objective of this bibliometric analysis in NP research (NPR) is to gain insight into the impact of research, emerging trends, collaborations, and the overall research landscape. Materials and Methods: The study retrieved data from the Scopus database and employed advanced bibliometric techniques, including citation analysis, co-occurrence mapping, and trend detection using VOSviewer software. The analysis examined the annual publication trends, authorship patterns, collaborations, and the emergence of key research themes in NPR. Results: A total of 6,134 articles were extracted. NPR exhibited steady growth. China is the most productive and collaborative country. Five clusters of research themes were derived: mechanisms of action and molecular mechanisms, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal compounds, disease-specific research, inflammation and immune-related research, and validation and simulation. In NPR, molecular docking, apoptosis, the cell cycle, ulcerative colitis, and sepsis are trending topics. Conclusion: The study revealed an increase in the production of NPR and its conceptual structures. It lays the foundation for advancing knowledge of what has been published and possible areas for improvement in NPR
Keywords
- Network pharmacology
- Performance
- Themes clustering
- Bibliometrics
- VOSviewer