**Background:** Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel first cloned in 1997, activated by noxious heat (>43°C), acidic pH (<5.9), capsaicin, and endogenous ligands. It is expressed in sensory neurons and non-neuronal tissues, and is implicated in pain, inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite extensive research, no bibliometric analysis had mapped the field's knowledge structure and trends. This study aimed to evaluate thematic trends and research frontiers of TRPV1 from 2002 to 2022 using bibliometric and visualization methods.
**Methods:** A literature search was conducted on the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI-Expanded) on September 1, 2022, using the subject term "TRPV1" for articles published from January 1, 2002, to August 31, 2022. Only full-text articles in English were included. After removing duplicates, 7,413 papers were analyzed. CiteSpace V.6.1.R2 and VOSviewer 1.6.18 were used for co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence analyses. Parameters included a 1-year time slice, node types (institution, keyword, cited reference), and pruning via pathfinder and merged network pruning. Clustering quality was assessed using modularity Q (>0.3 indicates significant structure) and weighted mean silhouette S (>0.5 indicates reasonable homogeneity).
**Key Results:** The annual publication count increased steadily, averaging 29.7 papers/year, with a slowdown after 2014. Neuroscience (2,061 articles), pharmacology (1,441), and biochemistry/molecular biology (1,033) were the top research areas, together comprising 61% of all publications. The United States published the most papers, with close collaborations with China, Japan, Germany, the UK, and Italy. The University of California, San Francisco had the highest centrality (0.43). Two major author collaboration sub-networks were identified: one centered on Vincenzo Di Marzo (135 articles) focusing on endocannabinoid systems, and another on Jeewoo Lee (84 articles) and Peter M. Blumberg focusing on TRPV1 antagonists/agonists. The top 10 journals published 1,416 articles (19% of total), led by *Journal of Neuroscience* (172 articles), *Pain* (163), and *PLOS One* (161). Co-citation analysis yielded 1,903 nodes and 10,515 links (Q=0.6996, S=0.8715), with clusters including vanilloid receptor, endocannabinoid system, and airway disease. Keyword burst analysis identified 25 burst terms; recent hotspots (2018–2022) included "oxidative stress," "TRPV1 structure," "cancer," and "model." The Sankey diagram showed evolution from early focus on capsaicin receptor and pain to current topics like diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and TRPA1. Time zone mapping revealed that early research centered on capsaicin receptor, sensory neuron, and pain, while later years emphasized irritable bowel syndrome, oxidative stress, and molecular mechanisms. Sub-analyses of 3,037 disease-related articles yielded clusters such as neurogenic inflammation, Parkinson's disease, and diabetic neuropathic pain; 1,742 signaling pathway articles clustered around endocannabinoid system and inflammatory pain; and 2,634 intervention method articles included clusters on receptor antagonist, mechanosensitive modulation, and hybrid structure.
**Clinical Implications:** This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of TRPV1 research trends, highlighting that pain remains the most studied disease, with growing attention to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's, Parkinson's). TRPV1 agonists (e.g., capsaicin patches, resiniferatoxin in Phase III trials for osteoarthritis) and antagonists (second-generation, mode-selective) are advancing toward clinical use, though hyperthermia side effects remain a challenge. Acupuncture, particularly electroacupuncture at ST36 and BL60, has been shown to downregulate TRPV1 expression and phosphorylation, providing analgesic effects in inflammatory pain models. The involvement of TRPV1 in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and its modulation of oxidative stress in cancer cells represent emerging frontiers. The study underscores the need for further molecular mechanistic research and the development of multi-targeted or soft-drug TRPV1 modulators to improve therapeutic outcomes.