Use of Medicinal Plants in the Process of Wound Healing: A Literature Review

Abstract

The literature on the use of medicinal plants in wound healing was comprehensively searched to obtain and assess the data. The data were procured via clinical studies that utilized medicinal plants and their compounds in vitro and in vivo for wound healing. This review collected data from electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, SciFinder, Thesis, and Scopus, using the search terms “natural products”, “wound healing”, and “natural compounds”, along with the keywords “plants”, “extracts”, and “phytochemicals”. Results from the last decade reveal a total of 62 families and 109 genera of medicinal plants, and their compounds have been studied experimentally both in vivo and in vitro and clinically found to effectively promote healing. This activity is related to the presence of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, which act at different stages through different mechanisms to exert anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects, confirming that the use of medicinal plants could be an adequate alternative to current conventional practices for treating wounds.

Bioactivities of Purple Shamrock (Oxalis Triangularis) Crude Extract and Evaluation of Shamrock Topical Antibacterial Gel

“…Many coumarins exhibit various biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and anticoagulant activities (Anywar & Muhumuza, 2023). Cedillo-Cortezano et al (2024) reported that essential oils, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds have wound healing properties. These compounds have also been shown to offer advantageous effects due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.…”

Comparative In Vitro and In Silico Analyses of Phytochemicals From Butea monosperma for Wound-Healing Potential in Human Cells

“…These compounds include flavonoids, tannins, and triterpenoids, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. These properties promote tissue regeneration, reduce infection risk, and enhance overall healing processes [5][6][7]. For instance, aloe vera contains mannose-6-phosphate, which helps stimulate fibroblast proliferation and collagen formation, hence improving the rate of wound healing [8].…”

Amaranthus as a Source of Polyphenolic Compounds and Flavonoids for Use in Medicine

“…About 62 families and 109 genera are used in traditional medicine for healing and treating wounds. Some plants with wound healing activity are presented in Figure [2].Amaranthus is a genus of herbaceous and annual plants, species of which are distributed throughout the world. Amaranthus is a highly nutritious multi-purpose plant, used as a cereal (superfood), medicinal, fodder, fuel and ornamental plant.…”

“…About 62 families and 109 genera are used in traditional medicine for healing and treating wounds. Some plants with wound healing activity are presented in Figure [2].…”