Table 4_Bibliometric analysis of traditional Chinese medicine for viral infections through immune modulation (2015–2025).xlsx

ObjectivesThe immunomodulatory properties of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have attracted significant attention as a strategy for addressing viral infections. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis is still lacking. This study aims to systematically identify research trends, knowledge hotspots, and emerging themes in TCM applications for viral infections through immune modulation from 2015 to 2025.
MethodsWe collected publications from the Web of Science database from 2015 to 2025 and performed a comprehensive analysis using R, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. In addition, clinical trial records published during this period were obtained from the PubMed database to assess clinical advancements in this field.
ResultsA total of 3,370 publications were analyzed in this study. Between 2015 and 2021, the number of publications in this field showed two distinct stepwise increases, separated by a period of relative stability, followed by a modest decline from 2021 to 2025. China contributed the highest volume of publications and demonstrated the broadest international collaborations, establishing itself as the leading country in this area. Frontiers in Immunology published the largest number of articles, while the Journal of Virology was the most frequently cited journal. Core topics included “Infection,” “COVID-19,” “Expression,” “Antiviral,” and “Protein.” The primary research focus centered on TCM’s antiviral effects and its modulation of immune responses, investigating its regulatory impact on inflammation and cytokine storms during viral infections, and examining TCM’s role in modulating immune responses to viral vaccines. Clinical trials in this field focus on improving the management of viral infections, and immune reconstitution strategies for chronic infections.
ConclusionThis study systematically analyzes the scientific literature in this field, providing valuable insights into current research trends and highlighting future directions in the application of TCM to the immunomodulation of viral infections.

研究目标：传统中药（Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM）的免疫调节特性作为应对病毒感染的策略，已受到学界广泛关注，但目前仍缺乏全面的文献计量分析。本研究旨在系统识别2015至2025年间，通过免疫调节途径应用中药治疗病毒感染领域的研究趋势、知识热点与新兴主题。
研究方法：本研究从Web of Science数据库收集2015至2025年的发表文献，并采用R语言、VOSviewer与CiteSpace工具开展全面分析。此外，还获取了同期PubMed数据库收录的临床试验记录，以评估该领域的临床研究进展。
研究结果：本研究共分析3370篇文献。2015至2021年间，该领域的文献产出呈现两次显著的阶梯式增长，期间间隔一段相对平稳的阶段；2021至2025年则出现小幅回落。中国的文献产出量位居全球首位，且国际合作范围最广，已成为该领域的领军国家。《Frontiers in Immunology》（免疫学前沿）发表的相关文献数量最多，而《Journal of Virology》（病毒学杂志）的文献总被引频次最高。该领域的核心研究主题包括"感染"、"新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）"、"表达"、"抗病毒"与"蛋白质"。主要研究焦点集中于中药的抗病毒效应及其对免疫应答的调节作用，探究其在病毒感染过程中对炎症与细胞因子风暴的调控影响，以及中药在调节病毒疫苗免疫应答中的作用。该领域的临床试验主要围绕优化病毒感染的临床管理，以及慢性感染的免疫重建策略展开。
研究结论：本研究对该领域的科学文献开展了系统分析，为当前研究趋势提供了极具价值的见解，并明确了中药应用于病毒感染免疫调节领域的未来研究方向。