Berberine and MASLD: global bibliometric analysis with molecular mechanism review
A dual-database bibliometric study mapped 341–624 publications on berberine in MASLD and identified four dominant thematic clusters, without directly testing clinical efficacy.
| Population | — |
|---|---|
| Intervention | — |
| Comparator | — |
| Outcome | — |
Context
MASLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease globally and lacks approved pharmacological therapies. Berberine has accumulated a growing publication base, but a consolidated landscape of that literature was absent.
What the study showed
The dual search (WoSCC and Scopus) retrieved 341 and 624 records, respectively, with thematic hotspots in hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress, and the gut-liver axis. The study reports no primary clinical outcomes and no effect-size data; it summarises what the published literature discusses, not what it proves.
How it was done
Bibliometric analysis with dual-database search in WoSCC and Scopus, followed by a narrative review of identified mechanisms; R, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace used for network visualisation; no individual trial data were extracted.
Risk of bias
Bibliometrics maps publication volume and trends, not study quality or validity; the subsequent narrative review is susceptible to selection bias; analysis based on the abstract without access to full text.
What this study does NOT prove
This study does not prove that berberine improves clinical outcomes in patients with MASLD.
In clinical practice
No direct clinical recommendation arises from this design. The study guides research priorities, not therapeutic decisions.
Limitations
Bibliometrics maps publication volume and trends, not study quality or validity; the subsequent narrative review is susceptible to selection bias; analysis based on the abstract without access to full text.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-10-27 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0