The Current Trends in Research on Panax notoginseng Saponins

Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen, an esteemed herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is notable for its bioactive compounds, particularly Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), which exhibit a diverse range of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-tumor properties, thereby providing significant therapeutic benefits in the context of cardiovascular, nervous system, and immune disorders. The aim of this study was to elucidate the contemporary research trends associated with PNS and to provide a roadmap for future investigative directions. A comprehensive review of the literature on PNS published from 2000 to 2024 was conducted utilizing the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database, supplemented by analytical tools such as VOSviewer and CiteSpace, which facilitated the identification of several emergent research hotspots, namely “endoplasmic reticulum stress,” “gut microbiota,” “pyroptosis,” “ferroptosis,” and “network pharmacology.” The findings of this groundwork not only highlight the dynamic interest surrounding PNS within the scientific community but also delineate specific thematic avenues that warrant further exploration, thereby fostering future research initiatives aimed at fully elucidating the multifaceted therapeutic potential of PNS in various pathological contexts.