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Bibliometric analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (2015-2024)

Xinyi Xie1,2,3*, Qin Zhang3,4*, Haiyi Qian1,2, Yan Zhang3,5, Dan Xia3,5, Yichen He2,5, Qixiang Xu1,3, Cuifeng  Zhang2,3,5 


1School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. 2Anesthesiology Laboratory  and Training Center, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. 3Wuhu Research and Development Center for Perioperative Monitoring and Prognostic Technology, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002,  Anhui Province, China. 4School of Clinical Medicine, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. 5School of Anesthesiology, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. 

* The authors contribute equally.


Address correspondence to: Qixiang Xu, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, No.22 Wenchang West Road, Yijiang District, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. Tel: +86-18355305112.  E-mail: xuqixiang@wnmc.edu.cn; Cuifeng Zhang, School of Anesthesiology, Wannan Medical College, No.22 Wenchang West Road, Yijiang District, Wuhu 241002, Anhui Province, China. Tel: +86- 15551257181. E-mail: zhangcuifeng@wnmc.edu.cn.


DOI: https://doi.org/10.61189/949147feziwr


Received March 19, 2025; Accepted June 18, 2025; Published September 30, 2025


Highlights

● Summarize the latest research advances in Alzheimer's disease, including its pathogenesis, physiological biomarkers, and therapeutic strategies.

● Analyze the publication trends and current landscape of research on traditional Chinese medicine for Alzheimer's disease prevention and treatment using both quantitative and qualitative bibliometric methods.

● Summarize the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine and the discovery of novel treatment targets and pathways.

●Develop novel perioperative neurocognitive disorder therapies from Alzheimer's TCM research.

Abstract

Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, poses a significant global public health challenge. This study aimed to systematically assess the research landscape of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)  in the prevention and treatment of AD using bibliometric methods, with particular emphasis on its distinctive mechanisms and recent progress in clinical translation. Methods: Publications on TCM for AD prevention and treatment from 2015 to 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Key bibliometric indicators, including authorship, keywords, journals, countries, institutions, and references, were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 705 publications from 35 countries and 835 institutions were included. Among the top 10 contributing countries, 60% were located in Asia, while the rest were from North America, Europe, and Oceania. China led the field with 654 publications, accounting for 86.6% of the total output. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology emerged as the most influential journal based on citation count (848 citations). Keyword analysis highlighted molecular docking, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress as key research hotspots. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis offers valuable insights into global trends and research priorities regarding TCM in AD treatment. The findings provide a theoretical basis for promoting the clinical application of TCM and support the advancement of integrated efforts across industry, academia, and research sectors. The study also demonstrates enormous potential for cross-integration with perioperative medicine. Such integration is crucial for enhancing the role of TCM in the prevention and management of AD.

Keywords: Traditional Chinese medicine, Alzheimer’s disease, bibliometrics, senile dementia

Cite

Xie XY, Zhang Q, Qian HY, Zhang Y, Xia D, He YC, Xu QX, Zhang CF. Bibliometric analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of alzheimer’s disease (2015-2024). Perioper Precis Med. 2025 Sep; 3 (3): 76-91. doi: 10.61189/949147feziwr.

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