A Scientometric Analysis of Cannabis sativa Research

Authors : Mina Hakimi, Jamila Azimi, Farzaneh Razmju, Mir Abdullatif Yahya

Pages : 596-608

Doi:10.15316/selcukjafsci.1701796

View : 171 | Download : 224

Publication Date : 2025-12-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Cannabis sativa, a diploid plant from the Cannabaceae family, was traditionally cultivated for food, medicine, fiber, and industrial purposes. Pharmacologically, this plant is significant due to cannabinoid activity, especially in medicine, nutrition, and industry. Despite its diverse applications, C. sativa has faced legal challenges that have severely impeded research in the area and commercial applications. Scientometric analysis, which is the quantitative assessment of scientific literature, is the means employed in a systematic way to gather and understand how each field is moving, who is contributing more, and what subject matter emanates therefrom. This study aimed to analyze the last 24 years of global research trends on C. sativa using Scopus and PubMed databases. The methodology employed several advanced bibliometric analyses using VOS-viewer software. Our results show that a sharp growth has been observed in publication output, mainly after 2015 and peaking in 2024. Most studies revolved around medical, pharmacological, and neuroscientific fields. The principal authors were Raphael Mechoulam, and the institutions such as the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School featuring strongly. The latter was also noted to provide major funds, along with The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and probably the major U.S. agencies. Nevertheless, keyword analysis revealed that dominant themes were medical cannabis, legalization, chronic pain, and cannabinoid pharmacology, while epigenotoxicity and genotoxicity came up as emerging areas. Our study concludes that C. sativa research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary and internationally collaborative, due to evolving legal frameworks and growing medical interest. Future research should bridge disciplinary silos, address under-refined areas such as environmental sustainability, and incorporate altimetric and policy data. Scientometric mapping hence yields actionable insight into scholarly and policy priorities in the developing field of C. sativa studies.
Keywords : Kanabinoidler, Kenevir, Kenevirin yasallaştırılması, Tıbbi kenevir

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