Global Trends and Research Hotspots in Natural Products for Hyperuricemia: A Bibliometric Analysis (2004-2026)

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a key pathological basis for gout and uric acid (UA) nephropathy, and its increasing global prevalence presents a substantial public health challenge. Natural products (NPs) have emerged as a research hotspot due to their potential to reduce UA and favourable safety profile; however, comprehensive bibliometric analyses in this area remain limited. In this study, the English literature on NPs with anti-HUA activity published between 2004 and 2026 was retrieved from the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, and analyzed using Bibliometrix (R package), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. A total of 581 articles were identified, indicating a rapid increase in publication output across 53 countries, 870 institutions, 234 journals, and 3421 authors. China was found to lead the field, with Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine contributing the highest number of publications. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology ranked first in publication volume, and Kong Ling-Dong emerged as the most prolific author. Major research foci included xanthine oxidase (XOD), UA metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammatory regulation, gut microbiota, and molecular docking. Perilla frutescens leaves and Terminalia chebula, together with six principal categories of bioactive compounds, demonstrated promising therapeutic potential. Overall, this study elucidates the developmental trends and research frontiers in the field, providing a valuable reference for future investigations.