Research hotspots and trends of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for drug delivery: a bibliometric and visualization analysis from 2013 to 2023

Our study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) in drug delivery research, focusing on the period between 2013 and 2023. Given the increasing global interest in this field, we utilized bibliometric tools to explore publication trends, key contributors, and thematic research clusters. Data was collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database, and an in-depth bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer. The analysis encompassed bibliographic coupling, co-citation, co-authorship, and co-occurrence trends, offering a structured insight into global research activity. We also employed Citespace to further analyze thematic clusters in this domain. Our analysis revealed a total of 1,045 publications related to MSC-EVs in drug delivery over the past decade, showing a steady increase in research output. China led in publication count, H-index, prolific authors, and research funding, while the United States ranked highest in total citations, average citation counts, and H-index performance. Pharmaceutics emerged as the leading journal by publication volume, with the Journal of Controlled Release having the strongest total link strength. Top institutions driving research included Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, and Harvard University. VOSviewer analysis identified four major research clusters: tissue engineering, cancer, neurological diseases, and targeted delivery. Citespace analysis refined this further into ten thematic areas, including differentiation, tissue regeneration, and drug resistance. This bibliometric assessment provides a holistic visualization of the research landscape for MSC-EVs in drug delivery, underlining the significant contributions of China and the United States. Our findings underscore the increasing global importance of MSC-EV research and highlight emerging themes that will likely guide future research directions. The insights from this study offer a foundational framework for identifying nascent frontiers in MSC-EV-based drug delivery.