A bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited papers in molecular biology studies of oral submucous fibrosis

Objective: To systematically map the existing research about molecular biology of OSF along with the notable amount of research in the past and the future insights of the same. Material and Method: The analysis evaluates the research trends in OSF using Scopus as a primary source due to its comprehensive coverage of peer reviewed literature. The search was performed on 25 April 2025. Only original and review articles were selected wherein "molecular biology" and "oral submucous fibrosis" were the Boolean terms applied. Hundred most cited articles were shortlisted. Network visualisation and bibliometric mapping was performed by VOS viewer. Keyword co-occurrence analysis, co-authorship networks and country wise collaboration patterns were analysed. The various citation matrices were cross validated with the Web of Science databases to enhance there liability. Results: The 100 most notable papers were published over a period from 1985 to 2021, with the highest number of papers occurring between 2011 and 2020.The article with the highest number of citations recorded was 116 while the least cited article had 17. The papers were published across 43 different journals; 5 or more articles were contributed by 7 authors, and the highest number of papers originated from Taiwan. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed that the term 'oral submucous fibrosis' appeared most frequently and Yu CChad the highest number of contributions. Conclusion: The bibliometric analysis provides important information that will aid as an appropriate reference material for further studies and will guide the scientific community for better understanding the scientific trend across the globe.