Bibliometric analysis of rhein in the treatment of tumors
Lan Jiang1,2,3, Qian Huang1, Zhongquan Shi1
1Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, China.
Background:
Rhein is an anthraquinone compound with a variety of biological activities. It has inhibitory effects on liver cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, oral cancer, gastric cancer, and other cancers. However, a comprehensive bibliometric review of this field has not yet been published.
Objective:
This study aims to investigate and evaluate the current research trends and directions about the antitumor properties of rhein using bibliometric analysis.
Methods:
The literature related to rhein in cancer treatment from 2003 to 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database, and the annual number of publications, main authors, major institutions, keyword clustering, and keyword bursts were visually analyzed using CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software. This study aims to discuss the status quo, hotspots, and development trends of rhein research over the past 20 years.
Results:
A total of 220 articles were retrieved from the core collection database, and the number of articles related to treating tumors with rhein increased annually. Among them, Chung, Jing Gung has the highest number of articles in this field, but most researchers lack cooperation with each other. The institutions with the highest number of articles were the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (13 articles) and China Medical University (Taiwan) (13 articles). Research hotspots include the promotion of apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inhibition of proliferation, drug resistance, and nanoparticles.
Conclusion:
Rhein exerts antitumor effects by inducing cell apoptosis, controlling metastasis, and inhibiting proliferation. However, owing to its poor water solubility, in recent years, functional modification of its functional groups or production of rhein nanoparticles to enhance its bioavailability and antitumor effects has become a hot research direction in the future.
Insights
Rhein exhibits significant antitumor properties by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Future research focuses on enhancing its bioavailability through functional modification and nanoparticle development for improved cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Rhein, an anthraquinone compound, demonstrates diverse biological activities, including inhibitory effects against various cancers.
- Despite its potential, a comprehensive bibliometric review of rhein's antitumor research is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a bibliometric analysis of research on rhein's antitumor properties.
- To evaluate current research trends and future directions in rhein-based cancer therapy.
Main Methods:
- Literature retrieval from Web of Science Core Collection (2003-2023).
- Bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software.
- Analysis of publication trends, key authors, institutions, and keyword clusters/bursts.
Main Results:
- A total of 220 articles were published, showing an increasing trend in rhein-related cancer research.
- Key research areas include apoptosis induction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, proliferation inhibition, drug resistance, and nanoparticles.
- High-impact institutions include Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and China Medical University (Taiwan).
Conclusions:
- Rhein possesses antitumor effects via apoptosis induction, metastasis control, and proliferation inhibition.
- Poor water solubility necessitates strategies like functional modification and nanoparticle formulation to enhance bioavailability and efficacy.
- Developing rhein nanoparticles is a promising future research direction for cancer treatment.
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