Use and conservation of Pavetta crassipes K. Schum. (Rubiaceae): A bibliometric analysis and systematic review

Abstract

Forests are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances, particularly tree exploitation, which can lead to significant changes in species ecology. This is the case for Pavetta crassipes, a shrub native to West African savannahs, widely used for its importance in traditional medicine. Through a quantitative bibliometric analysis, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of scientific research on Pavetta crassipes. A bibliographic search was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases to gather the existing global literature on this species. Bibliometric tools such as R Studio and VOSviewer were used to synthesize and analyze the collected data. A total of 28 articles related to Pavetta crassipes were selected through a rigorous screening process based on predefined criteria. The results reveal an irregular growth in the number of publications, with a noticeable peak in 2018. Most publications originate from Africa. The thematic mapping analysis highlights that the main research topics focus on medicinal uses and biochemical extraction applications. The evolution of research themes shows a dynamic interest in the species’ therapeutic applications and the use of aqueous leaf extracts in biochemistry. In contrast, aspects such as forest structure, population stability, and reproduction remain complex and underexplored. The study also identifies several promising future research directions, particularly concerning the spatial and structural distribution of Pavetta crassipes, as well as its regeneration dynamics in the face of anthropogenic disturbances and climate change. These research efforts are essential for deepening the ecological understanding of the species and establishing a more effective and sustainable conservation strategy.