Global publication trends in apitherapy research: A bibliometric analysis in the context of complementary health

In this study, global publications on apitherapy published between 2017 and 2025 were analysed using bibliometric methods. The data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database and analysed using VOSviewer and R software. Bibliometric performance indicators, network visualisation, thematic evolution, and factor analysis were applied to evaluate the structure and development of the field. The results indicated that apitherapy research demonstrated a continuous upward trend during the study period, with an average annual growth rate of 7.79%. China, Brazil, and Iran were identified as the most productive countries, while Türkiye ranked tenth. Karadeniz Technical University was among the top contributing institutions. The majority of publications were concentrated in the fields of molecular biology, pharmacology, and biochemistry. "Propolis" was identified as the most frequently used keyword. Thematic evolution analysis revealed that "bee" and "bee venom" were prominent in earlier years, whereas "propolis" and "melittin" gained increasing prominence in recent years. Factor analysis demonstrated that the literature was primarily structured around basic science and clinical research themes. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive bibliometric evaluation of global research trends, intellectual structure, and thematic development in apitherapy, and offers valuable insights to guide future research.