Agarwood (Aquilaria species): A visualization and network analysis

Agarwood (Aquilaria/Gyrinops) underpins high-value fragrance, medicinal, and conservation agendas, yet its knowledge structure is scattered across disciplines. We mapped the global research landscape to clarify productivity, influence, collaboration, and evolving themes. Scopus records (1959–2025; English; articles) were exported and cleaned. Descriptive and network analyses were performed in Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny (R), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. We examined annual output/citations, leading sources, authors, institutions, and countries; co-authorship and international collaboration; co-word networks, thematic maps, and evolution; Bradford’s Law of source dispersion; bibliographic coupling of journals; and CiteSpace burst detection (2021–2025). The dataset comprises 1,155 articles from 517 sources, authored by 2,889 researchers (5.66 co-authors/document; 14.2% international). Output grew at 7.18%/year, accelerating after 2000. China dominates productivity and collaboration, followed by Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Japan, and Thailand; citation impact is concentrated in East/Southeast Asia. Bradford analysis shows a core zone led by molecules, phytochemistry, and fitoterapia. Bibliographic coupling reveals four fronts: forestry/applied plant science; phytochemistry/natural products; pharmacology/phytochemical analysis; and ethnomedicine. Co-word analysis highlights frequent terms—agarwood, Thymelaeaceae, Aquilaria sinensis, unclassified drug—and three clusters (botanical–chemical; methodological/structural; biological/experimental). Thematic maps trace a transition from structural phytochemistry to translational pharmacology, biosynthesis/induction, and sustainability. Trend topics shift toward essential oils, leaf/quality studies, and species-specific work. CiteSpace (2021–2025) detects bursts in Gyrinops versteegii , in vivo/comparative studies, chemical analysis, essential oils, and genes, indicating current frontiers. Highly cited documents act as bridges across clusters. Agarwood research is expanding, interdisciplinary, and increasingly application oriented. Core chemistry remains central, while conservation genomics, induced biosynthesis, and computational/quality-assessment approaches are rising. The study consolidates scattered evidence, identifies pivotal venues and actors, and points to future needs: standardized analytics, multi-omics with metabolomics, sustainable agroforestry trials, and clinical translation of bioactive constituents. • Global mapping of 1,155 agarwood studies reveals Asia’s research dominance. • China leads global agarwood scholarship, driving collaboration and innovation. • Thematic evolution shows shift from phytochemistry to biotechnology focus. • Emerging research trends integrate AI, molecular docking, and agroforestry. • Bibliometric insights guide sustainable agarwood conservation and utilization.