Cross-country evaluation of medicinal and aromatic plants research: A scientometric analysis

This scientometric study analyses the global research landscape of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from 2015 to 2024 using data retrieved from the Web of Science database comprising 99,994 refined records, analyzed using bibliometric indicators including Activity Index (AI), Attractivity Index (ATI), Publication Efficiency Index (PEI), Relative Citation Impact (RCI), and Average Citations per Publication (ACPP). Bibliometric mapping and co-authorship visualization were conducted using VOSviewer. The findings reveal a substantial geopolitical shift in scientific production. The findings reveal a substantial geopolitical shift in MAPs research productivity and influence. China emerged as the leading contributor with 25,712 publications, followed by India with 11,518 publications. However, despite their dominance in publication output, several Western countries, including Canada, England, and Australia, demonstrated higher citation impact and research efficiency, as reflected by superior RCI and ACPP values. The Activity Index analysis indicates increasing specialization among emerging economies, particularly Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while countries such as Japan, Brazil, and the United States exhibited declining relative research activity during the later years of the study period. The co-authorship analysis identified four major international collaboration clusters, with China functioning as the principal collaborative hub in the global MAPs research network. The study highlights the growing role of Asia and the Middle East in shaping the MAPs research agenda and underscores the importance of equitable international collaboration for sustainable scientific development.