Research Progress on Active Components of Aucklandiae Radix: A Review of Bibliometrics [2000-2024]

Background: Aucklandiae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine derived from Aucklandia lappa Decne., exhibits pharmacological activities including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and digestive system enhancement. Methods: The literatures about the active components of Aucklandiae Radix from January 2000 to July 2024 were searched in Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used for bibliometric analysis. The analysis covers countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. Results: This analysis of 588 Web of Science articles from 2000 to July 2024 reveals two distinct phases: weak initial growth averaging 10 articles annually for the first 12 years, followed by significant acceleration averaging 38 articles yearly in the last 12 years. China, accounting for 42.35% and Chengdu University of TCM, for 3.40% were the top contributors. Key authors are Hu Huiling for most articles and Matsuda H for most citations. Journal of Ethnopharmacology was published the most; Phytochemistry was most cited. Research focuses on Costunolide, Dehydrocostus Lactone, and Apoptosis, with a seminal 2019 review peaking in citations between 2021 and 2024, indicating future direction. Conclusion: This study applied bibliometric methods to review, for the first time, the research progress on the active ingredients of Aucklandiae Radix. The analysis shows numerous studies on the anti-tumor effects of its active ingredients, particularly in inhibiting the proliferation of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and other cells through apoptosis, thereby contributing to tumor treatment. This aligns with the traditional use of Aucklandiae Radix for treating abdominal distension and pain, highlighting its relevance to digestive system tumors. The findings further demonstrate the broad applicability of its active ingredients, offering potential for disease treatment, drug development, and other fields.