Objective  To analyze the current research status and trend of flavonoids in the field of radiation protection by bibliometric method, and provide reference for related research and development.

Methods  The Web of Science Core Collection (WOS-CC) and China Knowledge Network (CNKI) databases were searched for relevant literature, and the search time was set from the establishment of the databases to July 24, 2025. CiteSpace 6.1.R3 software was used to perform visual analysis of annual publication volume, country and institutional collaboration analysis, keyword co-occurrence, clustering and timeline. The English time partition was selected from January 2008 to December 2025, and the Chinese time partition was selected from January 2004 to December 2025.

Results  The initial search yielded 1,073 English and 1,033 Chinese articles, and finally a total of 309 English and 258 Chinese articles were included. The number of annual publications in this field showed a fluctuating upward trend, with India leading the way with 56 publications, and the centrality of Iranian research was even higher with 0.56. Among the research institutions, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank and Harbin Institute of Technology had the highest number of publications, both with 12 articles, and there was less inter-institutional cooperation. The keywords showed that the research hotspots focused on the antioxidant mechanism of flavonoids, the protection against UV and ionizing radiation, and the role of single compounds (e.g., quercetin, hawthorn flavonoids); the studies in Chinese and English have their own focuses, with the English research favoring the molecular mechanism and photoprotection technology, and the Chinese research focusing on the extraction of components and pharmacological effects.

Conclusion  The bibliometric analysis shows the pattern and trend of the research on radiation protection of flavonoids. Flavonoids have great potential for radiation protection research, and international cooperation should be strengthened in the future to explore the cross-cutting mechanisms and clinical translation..

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