Global Research Hotspots and Publications of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi): A Bibliometric Analysis from 1994 to 2024

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine holds a unique and invaluable position internationally. Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is anti-oxidative, anti-aging, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and effective in the treatment of diabetes. However, there is still a lack of systematic bibliometric analysis with regard to Ganoderma lucidum. Objective: This study uses bibliometric analysis methods to assess the published literature on Ganoderma lucidum, determine the current state of Ganoderma research, visualize development trends and research hotspots, and provide references for research on the topic. Methods: This study searched the Web of Science Core Collection database for literature published between 1994 and 2024, and used WPS Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to analyze and apply information on authors, institutions, journals, regions, keywords, etc., included in the collection, and construct visual literature collaboration networks. Results: A total of 3320 publications were ultimately analyzed. The three most prolific authors in the past 30 years are Ang Ren, Liang Shi and Mingwen Zhao. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the most outstanding institution in the field of Ganoderma lucidum research. And the journal INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MUSHROOMS has made outstanding contributions in the field. China has published the most publications in this field, followed by the United States. In recent years, the pharmacological effects of Ganoderma lucidum on regulating the gut microbiota have attracted a lot of attention. Conclusion: From 1994 to 2024, research attention to Ganoderma lucidum has continued to increase, as such it may be a potential research hotspot in the field of traditional medicine. This study examined the development trends and research hotspots of relevant scholars.