Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Research on Exosomes as Drug Delivery Systems (2008-2023)

Abstract

Objective: Exosomes are unique bio-nanomaterials possessing significant value and potential for drug delivery systems. However, to date, no bibliometric studies in this field have been reported. Our aim is to explore the research hotspots and trends of exosome drug-carrying systems across various medical fields through bibliometric analyses.

Methods: Articles and reviews related to "exosome" and "drug delivery" are retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Scimago Graphica, and Origin 2021 are employed for bibliometric analyses.

Results: A total of 771 articles from 60 countries, such as China and the United States, are included. The number of papers concerning exosomal drug delivery systems has been increasing yearly. The main research institutions are the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Fudan University, and Sichuan University. The Journal of Controlled Release is the most prevalent and frequently cited journal in this field. These papers are authored by 247 individuals, with Ando, Hidenori having the highest number of publications and Alvarez-Erviti L receiving the most citations. "Extracellular vesicles", "drug delivery", "in vitro", "nanoparticles", "cells", "delivery", and "mesenchymal stem cells" are the principal keywords for this hotspot.

Conclusion: This pioneering bibliometric study offers a comprehensive overview of the research trends and advancements in exosomal drug delivery systems in medicine over the past fifteen years.

Keywords: Bibliometrics; CiteSpace; VOSviewer; drug delivery.; exosome.