Medicinal plants research in nigeria: An output analysis

Abstract

Global renewed interest in medicinal plants, the place of Nigeria with a sizeable population of researchers and an accompanying biological and cultural diversity to instigate a wide range of plant’s applications as medicine, motivated the present study to evaluate the volume, spread, and progression in scholarly publications on medicinal plants, with top countries in perspective. The study accessed publications (2009 – 2018) by DIMENSIONS® internet platform links with over 124 million documents and Citation Data in various subject areas. A total hit of 33, 071 retrieved medicinal plant publications of Nigerian affiliation were analyzed with decreased annual percentage output of 15.22% in 2009 to 10.06% in 2017, and 12.37% in 2018. The 10 top journal outlets, subject areas and productive authors of Nigerian affiliations accounted for 9.94%, 32.95%, and a 1.58% share of total medicinal plant publication output. Country-wise, the productivity profile shares of the analyzed ten countries varied widely, from-3% to 64% for the period between 2009-2013 and 2014-2018 and positional change among the countries oscillated over the study period. The observed trend buttresses the need to challenge the present state of medicinal plant publication output, particularly in Nigeria, for rigorous research productivity and commensurate funding.