Indicadores bibliométricos de produção científica e de relação da literatura científica nacional no domínio da Cannabis sativa

Abstract

The present work is a descriptive research that aimed to understand the panorama of Brazilian research related to Cannabis sativa, indexed in the Web of Science, across the dimensions of bibliometric indicators of scientific production and relationship. The study covers nearly 60 years of scientific production, in the period 1966–2024, allowing for the observation of long-term trends, historical ruptures, and moments of scientific inflection. The analysis was conducted from a bibliometric and discursive perspective, seeking to understand how the national academic field has structured its thematic axes, what gaps persist, and how the country's historical, regulatory, and sociocultural context influences these processes. The methodology adopted combined a quantitative bibliometric approach and qualitative analysis. Initially, data collection was carried out in the Web of Science, using the search term "Cannabis sativa," and 249 scientific articles were retrieved, forming the corpus of the analysis. Data processing included descriptive statistics, covering techniques for counting publications, identifying the most productive authors, institutions, journals, dominant research categories, scientific cooperation, keywords, and the temporal evolution of the research. The co-occurrence analysis of keywords was conducted using the VOSviewer software, allowing for the visualization of the main thematic clusters, revealing patterns of concentration and dispersion. In a complementary step, a documentary analysis was applied to the main Collegiate Board Resolutions - RDC of Anvisa, regarding the regulation of Cannabis sativa-derived products, examining their impact on the scientific discourse. The results revealed consistent growth in national scientific production in the domain of Cannabis sativa starting in the 2010. A majority concentration of research was observed in the biomedical areas, especially neurosciences, pharmacology, and clinical, with a lesser presence of sociological, anthropological, legal, and historical studies. This convergence towards neuroscientific themes is a strength in the search for evidence of efficacy and mechanisms of action, particularly of CBD, but simultaneously creates a significant asymmetry by neglecting the social and legal dimensions of the topic, which are essential for a comprehensive public policy. The conclusion points out that the Brazilian scientific development on Cannabis sativa evolves in close dialogue with the regulatory context and the history of criminalization of the plant, which for decades limited the legitimacy and funding of the topic in the academic field. Although there have been significant advances and greater institutional openness after Anvisa's regulatory action, asymmetries in knowledge production and thematic gaps persist, indicating the need for broader, interdisciplinary, and socially situated research agendas that include the Human and Social Sciences for a holistic understanding. The study reinforces that bibliometrics, articulated with discursive and contextual analyses, allows for understanding not only the volume of publications but also the social, historical, and political meanings that shape the science about Cannabis sativa in Brazil, providing subsidies for the redirection of scientific and funding policies.