Phytochemical interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder: A cluster co-occurrence network analysis using CiteSpace.
Journal of integrative medicine – July 01, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Phytochemical treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have gained significant traction, with 301 articles published between 2007 and 2022. Nearly half of these studies originated from North America, primarily in neuroscience and neurology journals like Addictive Behaviors and Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The focus has shifted toward psychedelic interventions, reflecting a notable trend since 2015. Other phytochemicals are less explored but examine neurosteroid turnover and serotonin levels. This evolving research landscape highlights the growing interest in botanical therapies for PTSD.
Abstract
This study investigated trends in the study of phytochemical treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Web of Science database (2007-2022) was searched using the search terms "phytochemicals" and "PTSD," and relevant literature was compiled. Network clustering co-occurrence analysis and qualitative narrative review were conducted. Three hundred and one articles were included in the analysis of published research, which has surged since 2015 with nearly half of all relevant articles coming from North America. The category is dominated by neuroscience and neurology, with two journals, Addictive Behaviors and Drug and Alcohol Dependence, publishing the greatest number of papers on these topics. Most studies focused on psychedelic intervention for PTSD. Three timelines show an "ebb and flow" phenomenon between "substance use/marijuana abuse" and "psychedelic medicine/medicinal cannabis." Other phytochemicals account for a small proportion of the research and focus on topics like neurosteroid turnover, serotonin levels, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Research on phytochemicals and PTSD is unevenly distributed across countries/regions, disciplines, and journals. Since 2015, the research paradigm shifted to constitute the mainstream of psychedelic research thus far, leading to the exploration of botanical active ingredients and molecular mechanisms. Other studies focus on anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammation. Please cite this article as: Gao B, Qu YC, Cai MY, Zhang YY, Lu HT, Li HX, Tang YX, Shen H. Phytochemical interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder: A cluster co-occurrence network analysis using CiteSpace. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(4):385-396.