Visualization Analysis On Research Status And Hotspots Of Cistanches Herba From 2002 To 2022

Abstract: 

Objective To visually analyze the Chinese and English literature in the research field of Cistanches Herba through bibliometrics; To understand the research status and hotspots of Cistanches Herba; To provide reference for the current research. 

Methods Literature related to Cistanches Herba collected in CNKI and Web of Science core databases from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2022 was retrieved. VOS viewer 1.6.18 was used for co-occurrence clustering and temporal overlay analysis of authors and keywords, while CiteSpace 6.1.R2 was used for keyword burst analysis. Results Totally 1 531 articles were included, including 1 481 Chinese articles and 150 English articles, and the overall number of publications was on the rise. This field has formed research teams represented by Guo Yuhai from Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Tu Pengfei from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and Chen Jun and Xu Rong from Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. High frequency keywords included Cistanches Herba, echinoside, phenylethanolside, high-performance liquid chromatography,cistanche polysaccharide, artificial cultivation, anti-fatigue, etc. Conclusion The research in this field mainly focuses on TCM therapy, clinical study, etiology and pathogenesis. Network pharmacology, molecular biology, data mining and so on may become the focus of future research of Cistanches Herba

Keywords: Cistanches Herba; bibliometrics; visualization analysis; VOSviewer; CiteSpace

Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma is a plant of the genus Cistanche in the family Orobanchaceae. It is also known as Dayun (Yun), Dijing, Heishiming, etc. It was first recorded in Shennong's Herbal Classic and was listed as a top-grade product [1]. There are four species of Cistanche in China, namely Cistanche tuhulosa (Schenk) Wigh, Cistanche salsa (C. A. Mey.) G. Beck, Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, and Cistanche sinensis G. Beck. They are mainly distributed in arid areas in the northwest such as Inner Mongolia and Gansu [2]. Studies have found that phenylethanol glycosides and verbascoside in Cistanche are the main active ingredients of Cistanche. Cistanche has pharmacological effects such as anti-aging, anti-dementia, laxative, liver protection, and improving reproduction [3]. There are many articles in the field of Cistanche research. This study uses VOSviewer and CiteSpace software to mine Cistanche literature. Through bibliometrics and visual analysis of keywords and authors, it explores the research hotspots of Cistanche, predicts the research trend of Cistanche, and provides theoretical support for further research on Cistanche.

Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma HERBAL for sale 

1 Materials and methods

1.1 Data source and retrieval strategy

The search condition of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database is set as "subject (precise)", the search term is "Cistanche", and the search time is January 1, 2002-December 31, 2022; English literature comes from the Web of Science core database. The search formula is: TS = (desert living cistanche herb OR saline cistanche OR Cistanche deserticola Ma OR Roucongrong OR Cistanches Herba), and the search time is January 1, 2002-December 31, 2022.

1.2 Data screening

Inclusion criteria: publicly published literature related to Cistanche deserticola; exclusion criteria: duplicated literature, conferences, newspapers, books, patents, achievements, etc.; reviews, systematic reviews and other non-original research literature. Import the retrieved literature into EndnoteX20, read the abstracts and titles, and screen out literature that is obviously irrelevant, such as literature, education, and political science. If you encounter uncertainty, read the full text and finally include the literature. Two people and two machines operate independently. If you encounter uncertainty, ask a third person to make a judgment.

1.3 Data collation and analysis

Synonym merging was performed in Endnote, high-performance liquid chromatography and HPLC were unified into high-performance liquid chromatography, artificial cultivation and artificial planting was unified into artificial cultivation, etc. The screened literature was exported in Ris format, and the literature published in the core database of China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Web of Science between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2022, was analyzed using VOS viewer1.6.18 and Citespace6.1.R2. Use VOSviewer1.6.18 to analyze the included Chinese literature, select "Co-occurrence" under "Type of analysis", and set the co-occurrence frequency to be greater than or equal to 5.

According to Price's law, the minimum number of core authors in a certain field is m=0.749× max, where m is the minimum number of core authors and max is the number of authors with the highest number of publications. Use VOSviewer1.6.18 to draw the author's cooperation network analysis. Use CiteSpace to perform highlight analysis on keywords. "Strength" indicates the strength of keyword mutation. The higher the strength, the greater the influence of the keyword. "Begin" indicates the time when the keyword mutation occurs, and "End" indicates the time when the keyword mutation ends.

2 Analysis results

2.1 Literature screening results

A total of 2 528 Chinese literatures were obtained through retrieval, and 1 481 articles were finally included after excluding duplicate and irrelevant literatures; 165 English literatures were obtained, and 150 articles were finally included after excluding duplicate and irrelevant literatures. A total of 1 531 articles were included.

2.2 Analysis of publication trends

By analyzing the articles included from 2002 to 2022, the publication trend was analyzed, as shown in Figure 1. It can be seen from the figure that although the number of articles published on Cistanche deserticola fluctuated, it showed an overall upward trend. The publication trend was divided into two stages: the number of articles published from 2002 to 2008 was relatively small, with an average annual publication of 54 articles, but the overall publication trend was on the rise, indicating that more and more scholars have noticed this field. The number of papers published from 2009 to 2022 increased significantly, with an average annual number of 89 papers, reaching 100 in 2021, and there is still an upward trend in the future. It can be seen that this research field maintains a high level of research enthusiasm.

2.3 Keyword Visualization Analysis

Keywords are the condensation and core of a document. By analyzing keywords, research hotspots in this field can be found. 171 Chinese keywords were selected for visualization analysis, and the results are shown in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2, there are a total of 6 clusters, which involve the chemical composition, planting and cultivation, quality evaluation, pharmacological effects, and clinical applications of Cistanche deserticola. Figure 3 is a time view of keywords.

Visual analysis of keywords of 150 English documents in the WOS database is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, there are a total of 5 clusters, which involve the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, and clinical applications of Cistanche deserticola. Figure 5 is a time view of keywords.

2.3.1 Analysis of active ingredients in Cistanche deserticola

As shown in Figure 2, the red, purple and yellow parts are related to the active ingredients of Cistanche deserticola. Among them, polysaccharide components, glycoside components (echinacoside, verbascoside) and flavonoid components of Cistanche deserticola have always been the focus of research. The relevant data obtained by VOS viewer 1.6.18 software

were exported to Excel for analysis, and the top five components were screened, namely echinacoside, verbascoside, polysaccharide, betaine and mannitol. Among them, echinacoside appeared most frequently, indicating that phenylethanol glycoside components have attracted more attention from scholars. Feng Jie et al. [4] measured the contents of echinacoside, cistancheside A, tubuloside A and verbascoside in different host Cistanche deserticola by the one-test-multiple-evaluation method, further indicating that the main active ingredients of Cistanche deserticola are phenylethanol glycosides, which provides a new basis for the quality control of Cistanche deserticola. Echinacoside and verbascoside are one of the main active ingredients of Cistanche deserticola. Some scholars have conducted further research on them. Zhi Yajing et al. [5] summarized and analyzed the main components of Cistanche deserticola. Through predictive analysis, echinacoside, verbascoside, phenylethanoid glycosides, 6-deoxycatalpol, geniposide and other iridoid terpenes, (+)-syringinol-O-β-D-glucoside and other lignans, and organic acids such as chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, and amino acids such as valine and leucine can be used as quality markers of Cistanche deserticola, providing a certain reference for the quality evaluation of Cistanche deserticola.

As can be seen from the purple and green parts in Figure 4, phenylethanoid glycosides are the research hotspot of the chemical components of Cistanche deserticola, especially echinacoside and verbascoside. β-Sitosterol is also one of the main active ingredients [6].

2.3.2 Analysis of research methods for Cistanche deserticola

As can be seen from the blue in Figure 2, the commonly used analytical methods for Cistanche deserticola include HPLC, TLC, RP-HPLC, and infrared spectroscopy. Among them, HPLC appears most frequently and is the commonly used analytical method for analyzing Cistanche deserticola. Guo Yongfu [7] et al. determined the fingerprints of 30 batches of Cistanche tubulosa by HPLC, screened the quality difference markers (Q-markers) of Cistanche tubulosa from different origins, and established a simultaneous content determination method. In addition, near-infrared spectroscopy has many practical advantages such as providing rapid, accurate and synchronous analysis and is widely popular in the field of traditional Chinese medicine [8]. Yuan Jie [9] et al. determined the content of phenylethanoid glycosides in Cistanche deserticola slices by near-infrared spectroscopy, and the content was no different from that determined by HPLC, providing a rapid and effective method for quality control of slices.

2.3.3 Planting and cultivation of Cistanche deserticola

Analyzing the green part in Figure 2, it can be seen that the seed research, cultivation technology and host of Cistanche deserticola have received great attention. Cistanche deserticola has a certain selectivity for hosts. The more suitable hosts are Haloxylon ammodendron, Tamarisk, and Alpinia oxyphylla. There are also artificially planted Haloxylon ammodendron and Tamarisk. Generally, 2-3 year old hosts are suitable for inoculation of Cistanche deserticola[10]. Research on the host of Cistanche deserticola can also increase the yield of Cistanche deserticola and increase its economic benefits. Feng Jie[11] et al. studied the influence of different origins, hosts and harvesting seasons on the content of phenylethanol and soluble polysaccharides in Cistanche deserticola.

2.3.4 Quality evaluation of Cistanche deserticola

Analyzing the blue part in Figure 2, it can be seen that the identification, component determination and quality evaluation standards of Cistanche deserticola are research hotspots. The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine and the research on its standards are the prerequisites for ensuring the controllable quality of traditional Chinese medicine and the safe and effective use of traditional Chinese medicine. By developing scientific and feasible quality evaluation standards, the quality of traditional Chinese medicine can be improved and clinical efficacy can be guaranteed. Chen Bo et al. [12] established ultra-high performance liquid chromatography fingerprints of Cistanche deserticola, Cistanche deserticola, Cistanche deserticola from Gansu Province, and Cistanche deserticola from Lanzhou, and determined the contents of four components, namely, echinacoside, cistancheside A, verbascoside, and 2′-acetylverascoside, to provide a scientific basis for evaluating the quality of Cistanche deserticola from different origins and with different processing methods.

2.3.5 Pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Cistanche deserticola

Analyzing the cyan part in Figure 2, Cistanche deserticola has a wide range of clinical applications. By searching the literature, Cistanche deserticola is a very good laxative, especially suitable for constipation caused by physical weakness and constipation in the elderly. In recent years, with the development of network pharmacology and data mining technology, it is often used to study the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine treatment. Fan Yuhui [13] et al. studied the mechanism of action of Cistanche deserticola in treating constipation by using network pharmacology and molecular docking methods. The results showed that the phenylethanol glycosides and polysaccharides in Cistanche deserticola have a good laxative effect; Yang Jinyu [14] et al. studied the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine for slow-transmission constipation by using data mining technology. The results showed that Cistanche deserticola has a high frequency of use and rich prescriptions. Zheng Yuling [15] et al. reviewed the research progress of the pharmacology and mechanism of action of Cistanche deserticola in anti-osteoporosis by studying the literature on the phenylethanol glycoside components in Cistanche deserticola at home and abroad.

Analysis of the blue and red parts in Figure 4 shows that the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of Cistanche deserticola are hot topics in the study of its pharmacological effects. Cheng et al. [16] found that significant high antioxidant activity and PeGs accumulation could be observed in Cistanche deserticola cell suspension cultures. Lin et al. [17] found that Cistanche deserticola could regulate the expression of apoptosis-related factors and neurotrophic factors in MES23.5 cells, thereby protecting nerve cells. Cistanche deserticola has a wide range of clinical applications. In addition to traditional treatments for constipation, liver protection, and improvement of premature ejaculation, researchers have also studied Cistanche deserticola in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and depression. Xu et al. [18] established a PD rat model by intracranial injection of 6-OHDA and found that Cistanche deserticola soup promoted neuronal survival in PD in vivo and in vitro by increasing the TH content in the substantia nigra and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Lin[19] et al. proved that the mechanism of Cistanche deserticola in treating osteoporosis is directly or indirectly related to multiple signaling pathways through the method of network pharmacology, providing a theoretical reference for the material basis and mechanism of action of Cistanche deserticola in combating osteoporosis. Li[20] et al. identified Cistanche deserticola extract as a potential treatment for depressive symptoms by restoring the homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota to the microbiota, opening up a new path for Cistanche deserticola in the field of neuropsychopharmacology.

2.4 Author collaboration network analysis

The data show that there are 3,308 scholars who participated in publishing Cistanche deserticola-related literature. In order to understand the core research force and representative scholars in this research field, the co-occurrence analysis of the authors of the literature was conducted through the network metrology method. The scholar with the highest number of publications in this field is Guo Yuhai, with 67 publications, m≈

6.13, so the authors with more than 6 publications (including 6) are positioned as the core authors in this field, totaling 97 core authors, with a total of 1,213 publications. In general, a large number of teams have been formed in the field of Cistanche deserticola research, including the Guo Yuhai team of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, the Tu Pengfei team of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, the Chen Jun team of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Xu Rong team. See Figure 6. Stable cooperative relationships have been formed within each team, and there are also stable connections between the core authors, which have jointly promoted the research and development of Cistanche deserticola. Tu Pengfei's team conducted herbal research and resource surveys on Cistanche deserticola, and determined the chemical components of Cistanche deserticola and Cistanche tubulosa [1]. There are also close connections between teams. The Guo Yuhai team and the Tu Pengfei team cooperated with each other and proposed new ideas for Cistanche deserticola research and industrial development. As can be seen from the time zone map, fresh forces are constantly being injected into the research of Cistanche deserticola. It is difficult for a single researcher or research team to have comprehensive knowledge. Interdisciplinary studies and teamwork are carried out to study Cistanche deserticola resources, chemistry, pharmacology, ecology, etc., to overcome difficulties in the field and promote the in-depth development of research. See Figure 7.