To undertake a quantitative analysis of the existing literature addressing the role of traditional Chinese medicine in managing COVID‑19. Research articles concerning the prevention and treatment of COVID‑19 using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), published up to September 19, 2021, were collected from the Web of Science database. Data analysis was performed with the Bibliometrix R 4.0 software package to assess publication countries, research institutions, journals, citation metrics, and keywords. Additional analyses were carried out to examine the co‑occurrence of keywords appearing in the titles and abstracts of the documents. Collaborative network analyses among authors, institutions, and publishing countries were also performed. Furthermore, statistical evaluations of classification categories were undertaken, and the development and current progress of key TCM studies were reviewed. Our final dataset comprised 417 research documents. A significant majority, 85.13%, originated from China. Regarding journal prestige, 148 documents (35.5%) were published in Quartile 1 journals, while 164 (39.3%) appeared in Quartile 2 journals; the majority of publications were concentrated within the Medicine category. Network analysis revealed strong cooperative ties among the involved institutions and countries. After excluding keywords related specifically to diseases or drugs, the four most prevalent keywords were ‘Systematic review’, ‘Network pharmacology’, ‘Medicine’, and ‘Molecular docking’. Co-occurrence analysis of these keywords identified four principal association clusters. Statistical review of the TCM studies indicated that the Lianhua Qingwen capsule, Qingfei Paidu decoction, Shufeng Jiedu capsules, and ReDuNing injection were the most frequently investigated Chinese medicines. These four were utilized across clinical, bioinformatics, and basic research domains. In contrast, Toujie Quwen granule, Jinhua Qinggan granule, Shuanghuanglian oral liquid, Tanreqing injection, and Xuanfei Baidu decoction were subjects of clinical and bioinformatics investigation, but their underlying mechanisms lacked substantial basic research. The research landscape concerning the use of Chinese medicine for COVID‑19 prevention and treatment has demonstrated a clear rise in both research intensity and collaborative engagement. While the studies generally cover a comprehensive range of types and focus on TCM formulations recommended by official Chinese COVID‑19 guidelines, there remains a notable gap in detailed, in-depth investigation into their molecular mechanisms of action. Therefore, increased basic research is essential to accurately identify therapeutic mechanisms, which will subsequently allow for the standardization and validation of TCM applications in managing COVID‑19.
