Hotspots and trends in global antiviral herbal basic research: A visualization analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Viral infections can become public health emergencies due to the possibility of the wide transmission of their associated pathogens and their rapid variation. Moreover, most viruses lack effective therapeutic drugs and vaccines. Herbal medicines have been clinically validated for their broad-spectrum antiviral properties and their ability to leverage their complex compositions to target multiple levels, pathways, and channels. In this study, we seek to assess the current global research landscape and identify current and future directions for research on antiviral herbal medicines to guide future pharmacological developments. Methods: Bibliometric and visualization methods were used to analyze 2134 Chinese-language and 4600 English-language journal articles published between 2017 and 2022 from both Chinese and international databases, and the theme words and foci of highly cited papers were analyzed. Results: It was found that coronaviruses (especially severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2), the influenza virus, the hepatitis B virus, and the human immunodeficiency virus were the primary targets for antiviral herbal medicines. Key herbs included Glycyrrhiza glabra, Lonicera japonica, Scutellaria baicalensis, Ephedra sinica, Forsythia suspensa, Agastache rugosa, Astragalus membranaceus, and Poria cocos. The primary active compounds known to be responsible for these antiviral effects are alkaloids, bioflavonoids, flavonoids, sterols, and polyphenols, including curcumin, quercetin, kaempferol, wogonin, stigmasterol, β-glutosterol, luteolin, coumarins, naringenin, gallic acid, berberine, and andrographolide. These compounds work through mechanisms such as inhibiting viral replication, blocking virus–receptor interactions, destroying viruses, regulating the immune response, oxidative stress induction, and cytokine response suppression. Conclusions: The research foci included the pharmacodynamic foundations, molecular dynamics simulation, and virtual screening of active components in herbs use for the treatment of viral diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 using bioinformatics, macromolecular docking, and network pharmacology. Significant gaps remain in interdisciplinary collaboration, especially regarding herb cultivation, processing, sustainable harvesting, and potential drug interactions.