Mapping the Scientific Landscape of Leopoldia comosa (L.) Miller Research: A Comprehensive Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis (1877–2024)

Background: Leopoldia comosa is a traditional Mediterranean plant with medicinal and nutritional value. Despite its long history of use, scientific exploration remains limited. Objectives: This study aimed to provide the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends, thematic structures, and emerging topics related to L. comosa. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was performed in the Scopus database using plant names in the TITLE-ABS- KEY field. A total of 82 documents were retrieved and analyzed using Bibliometrix (R package) and VOSviewer. Performance analysis, co-occurrence mapping, thematic clustering, and trend visualization were conducted. Results: Italy, Spain, and the USA were the leading contributors. Antioxidant activity, phytochemical characterization, enzyme inhibition, and ecological studies have emerged as the major research themes. Five clusters based on indexed keywords and eight clusters based on author keywords were identified. Recent trends highlight the growing interest in germination biology, anti-microbial activity, and nutraceutical applications. However, research remains limited by the lack of clinical validation, molecular studies, and standardized methodologies. Conclusion: Although L. comosa is steadily growing, significant gaps persist. Future studies should prioritize clinical trials, pharmacokinetics, genomics, and sustainable cultivation strategies to fully realize their therapeutic and nutraceutical potential.