Dynamic Research Interests in Chinese Medicine
Over the past decade (2014–2023), Chinese Medicine research has significantly transformed, characterised by an increasing integration of traditional practices with modern scientific approaches.
The analysis of highest-output research topics shows a notable shift from purely traditional methodologies to more interdisciplinary approaches, particularly evident in the emergence of network pharmacology, molecular biology, and genetic studies.
For the period 2019–2023, the most published topic is “Herbaceous Agent | Chinese Medicine | Network Pharmacology”, which generated 1,244 publications. Notably, in recent years, modern medical technologies have increasingly been applied in Chinese Medicine. For instance, the topics “MicroRNA | Cell Proliferation | Gene Expression Profiling” and “Chloroplast Genome | Phylogeny | Illumina Dye Sequencing” involve analysing genetic material to understand biological processes and their implications.
Top 10 topics in terms of output for 2014–2018 (left) and 2019–2023 (right)
The geographical analysis demonstrates distinct research patterns across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong SAR (China), Macao SAR (China), Taiwan (China), and the rest of the world, with each region showing unique strengths and focus areas.
The Chinese mainland has made remarkable progress in network pharmacology and molecular research, while Hong Kong SAR (China), Macao SAR (China), and Taiwan (China) serve as important bridges between traditional and modern approaches.
Top 10 topics in terms of output for 2019–2023
Subject-wise, there has been a notable expansion from traditional, complementary medicine into broader scientific fields.
As Chinese Medicine research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, its relevance to contemporary health research also grows.
Subject area distribution of top 20 topics in the field of Chinese Medicine, 2014-2018 vs. 2019-2023
Evolving nature and integration with modern medical approaches
A comprehensive analysis of research content was conducted by examining keyword co-occurrences from 2014 to 2023. By exploring the relationships between central terms and their related keywords, the study reveals the evolving nature of Chinese Medicine research and its integration with modern medical approaches.
Chinese Medicine
Share of co-occurrence for terms closely related to “acupuncture” and “tai chi”, 2014–2023
* The number in the block represents the share of co-occurrence of the central and related term out of the occurrence of the central term. The darker the block colour, the larger the share of co-occurrence. A blank block indicates no co-occurrence for that year.
Chinese Medicinals and their derivatives
Share of co-occurrence for terms closely related to “berberine”, “ginseng”, “polysaccharide” and “danshen”, 2014–2023
* The number in the block represents the share of co-occurrence of the central and related term out of the occurrence of the central term. The darker the block colour, the larger the share of co-occurrence. A blank block indicates no co-occurrence for that year.
Application of Chinese Medicine to diseases
Share of co-occurrence for terms closely related to “Alzheimer’s disease”, “breast cancer”, “hypertension”, and “pain”, 2014–2023
* The number in the block represents the share of co-occurrence of the central and related term out of the occurrence of the central term. The darker the block colour, the larger the share of co-occurrence. A blank block indicates no co-occurrence for that year.