Bibliometric Analysis of Plant-Derived Irrigants, Intracanal Medicaments, and Natural Compounds Against Enterococcus...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to bibliometrically map the Web of Science Core Collection-indexed literature related to plant-derived irrigants, intracanal medicaments, and natural compounds investigated against Enterococcus faecalis in endodontics. MATERIAL AND METHODS The literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection database on March 31, 2026; it included English-language articles and reviews indexed from 2010 through March 31, 2026. Descriptive bibliometric analyses were performed using Web of Science tools. Author keyword co-occurrence and author co-citation analyses were conducted using VOSviewer. RESULTS In total, 144 publications were evaluated. Scientific output greatly increased after 2020, and the highest number of publications was recorded in 2024; data for 2026 represented partial-year coverage through the search date. The total number of citations was 1311, whereas citations excluding self-citations totaled 1179. The average number of citations per publication was 9.1, and the H-index was 22. The leading journal was Cureus Journal of Medical Science. The most prolific authors were Bottino MC and Carvalho CAT. Based on full counting, India, Brazil, and Egypt were the leading countries. The most productive institutions were Egyptian Knowledge Bank, Egypt; The Institute for Medicinal Plant Research "Dr. Josif Pančić," Serbia; and King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Keyword co-occurrence analysis showed thematic clustering around antibacterial efficacy, biofilm control, and comparisons with conventional endodontic agents. CONCLUSIONS This bibliometric map characterizes publication output, citation structure, leading contributors, and thematic clustering within the defined indexed literature subset.