Exploring Spatiotemporal Trends and Dynamics in Glutathione and Skin-Lightening Research: A Scientometric Approach

Background: Recent scientific literature on “glutathione” and “skin lightening, ” for which a scientometric approach was used, allows the identification of the main trends, the main collaborations, and the modifications that have taken place in recent years, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of the development and importance of this discipline. Methods: This study was conducted as an exhaustive scientometric review, taking an observational approach. For this reason, 52 documents obtained from the Scopus database were examined based on a search of the database, which was carried out on March 18, 2025. The search focused on publications between 2019 and 2025. Of the 52, 14 articles addressing the main topics of the study were selected. The data were processed with tools such as SciVal, R Studio, and VOSviewer, applying methods such as Bradford’s and Lotka’s laws. Results: A total of 14 documents were included in the analysis from 12 sources, showing an annual growth rate of 24.57%. We found an average of 3643 citations per article. The most influential authors were Al-Rikabi and Chalothorn. At the institutional level, King Saud University was the leader in publication count. India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia were the leading contributing countries in this field. The main subject headings were “glutathione” and “skin-lightening agent, ” thus mostly tied to dermatology or cosmetics. The field remains small but is rapidly expanding, with publications concentrated in a limited number of institutions and countries, revealing a fragmented international collaboration network. Conclusions: The results showed a steady increase in the scientific production of glutathione and skin-lightening agents. Although international collaborations were limited, they had a remarkable impact. The most influential institutions and authors were concentrated in certain regions, and the topics highlighted a broad focus ranging from dermatology to cosmetic applications, reflecting the growing interest in this field.