Mapping the Research Landscape of Poria cocos as a Medicinal and Edible Fungus: A Bibliometric Analysis from January 1990 to April 2026.

Background:Poria cocos is a medicinal and edible fungus widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and functional food development. However, the global research structure and thematic evolution of this field remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to map publication trends, collaboration networks, knowledge bases, and emerging research themes in Poria cocos research. Methods: Publications related to Poria cocos were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1 January 1990 to 1 April 2026. Articles and reviews were included. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel and an open-source Python 3.11.8 workflow (NetworkX 3.6.1 and Matplotlib 3.10.8). Co-occurrence analysis was used to count the frequency of co-occurrence of certain elements (e.g., countries, regions, institutions, etc.); cluster analysis was used to classify keywords; and burst analysis was used to identify research trends and hotspots. Results: A total of 1404 records were included. Publication output increased markedly after 2014 and peaked in 2025, whereas 2026 data were incomplete. China contributed the largest share of publications and occupied the central position in international collaboration networks. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology and International Journal of Biological Macromolecules were major publication venues. Keyword and co-citation analyses indicated a thematic shift from phytochemical characterization and resource studies toward polysaccharides, pharmacological mechanisms, network pharmacology, and gut microbiota. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis provides an overview of the evolving research landscape of Poria cocos. Future studies should strengthen data-driven mechanistic validation, quality standardization, translational pharmacology, and clinical evidence generation.