Current status and research trends of coptisine: a bibliometric analysis (1995 to 2025)

Coptisine, a significant isoquinoline alkaloid, has garnered extensive attention for its pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. In recent years, driven by the growing interest in natural medicinal plants, research on coptisine has intensified. However, a systematic bibliometric analysis to map the knowledge structure of this field remains lacking. This study retrieved publications related to coptisine from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database covering the period 1995 to 2025 and conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify research hotspots and trends. Data analysis and visualization were performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix". A total of 626 documents were identified, with China ranking first in publication volume, followed by South Korea. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were the most prominent institutions. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology published the most articles, and Hailin Qin, Xuegang Li, and Xiaoli Ye were among the most productive authors. The analysis revealed that early research focused on the extraction and purification of coptisine, while the pharmacological mechanisms of coptisine in cardiovascular diseases and cancer represent the current research hotspots. This study maps the global knowledge landscape of coptisine research, highlights emerging trends, and provides a valuable reference for future investigations.