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Review Article
- A Bibliometric Analysis of Studies on Meridians
- Chan-Young Kwon
- Perspect Integr Med. 2025;4(2):67-75. Published online June 23, 2025
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2025.06.001
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- A meridian is a channel through which qi moves and is a key concept in traditional East Asian medicine. Meridian studies have evolved from classical functional to modern scientific investigations. This study was performed to construct, analyze, and visualize research trends in modern scientific investigations through a bibliometric analysis. The MEDLINE database was searched via PubMed. All relevant studies published up to December, 2024 were included (N = 1,446). Research on the concept of meridians has been actively reported since the early 1990s, peaking in 2015 (n = 103). Various biological basis for meridians, including the primo vascular system, have been investigated throughout this period. Co-occurrence analysis identified 3 major research clusters: clinical studies, animal experiments, and acupuncture points research. Recent studies have focused more on acupuncture points and their clinical applications, particularly in neuropsychiatric disorders, rather than fundamental meridian research. In addition, data mining has emerged as a new methodology in the field. Research collaboration was primarily occurring amongst investigators in South Korea and China (limited international cooperation). While interest in preclinical studies has declined, promising clinical applications continue to emerge. This review highlighted the need for broader international collaboration and integration of traditional concepts with modern research methodologies.
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