Mapping International and Regional Collaboration Networks in African Traditional Medicine Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (2000 – 2024)

Abstract

Background: African Traditional Medicine (ATM) plays a central role in healthcare across Africa and contributes to global drug discovery through its long-standing use of herbal, ritual, and spiritual practices. Although research output in ATM has increased, evidence on international and regional collaboration patterns remains limited. Understanding these partnerships is critical for strengthening research productivity, knowledge exchange, and the integration of traditional medicine into formal healthcare systems.

Methods: A descriptive bibliometric analysis was conducted using peer-reviewed ATM-related publications indexed in the Scopus database from 2000 to 2024. Publication trends, authorship patterns, institutional productivity, and country-level collaborations were analysed. Co-authorship and collaboration networks were visualised using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix (R package).

Results: A total of 2,392 publications were identified, representing an approximately 85-fold increase over the study period. South Africa led research output (37.4%), followed by Nigeria (4.8%), while the United States and the United Kingdom were the main non-African collaborators. Van Staden J., Afolayan A. J., and Maroyi A. were the most prolific authors. South African institutions, particularly the University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Pretoria, and University of Fort Hare, dominated institutional output. Strong collaborative links were observed between South Africa and Nigeria, the USA, and the UK, with additional contributions from France, Germany, India, and Australia.

Conclusions: ATM research has expanded substantially, with South Africa serving as a key collaboration hub. However, intra-African collaboration remains limited. Strengthening regional partnerships, institutional capacity, and funding is essential for advancing evidence-based traditional medicine in Africa.