Knowledge Domain and Emerging Research Trends Regarding the Use of Honey in Wound Management: A Bibliometric and Knowledge-Map Analysis

Wound management poses a significant global challenge for healthcare systems, due to the high prevalence and treatment costs of chronic wounds. Honey, with its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-regenerative properties, offers unique advantages in wound treatment. However, research trends lack a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was searched. Data were extracted for publications related to honey in wound management indexed from 2004-2024. Bibliometric analysis and visualisation were then performed. Global research in this field is growing at a rate of 9.79% annually. Iran and the United States (US) led in publication volume (495 and 480 papers, respectively), with the US showing academic dominance through high citations (5113 citations) and H-index (61). Australia showed the highest average citation frequency (15.16 per paper), highlighting the quality of its research. The Egyptian Knowledge Bank predominated in publication volume (126 papers), while the United States Department of Agriculture stood out for its research impact. Journal analysis revealed that the Journal of Wound Care published the most papers (32 papers), while the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules had the highest impact factor (IF=7.7). Keyword clustering identified four major research hotspots: antibacterial activity, wound management, biomaterial integration, and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties. This study is the first to reveal the evolution of the knowledge structure and future development trends related to honey in wound management through visual analysis, providing strong support for academic research and clinical practice.