Herbs with Acute Wound Healing Potential: A Review

Wound healing is a timely and orderly process comprised of coagulation, inflammation, proliferative, and remodeling. Any disruption in the physiological process will delay the healing process and result in chronic wounds. Wound cleansing is the standard management for acute wounds to provide an optimal environment for healing. Besides wound cleansers, topical antimicrobials are commonly used to reduce microbial load and prevent microbial infection. However, they are associated with adverse reactions and antibiotic resistance, resulting in delayed wound healing. To overcome the limitations of conventional wound treatment, herbal therapy as an alternative is implemented for wound management with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Following the increased demands of herbal therapy in wound management, the innovative polyherbal formulation has gained popularity and has been extensively studied to promote better wound healing. The combined use of multiple herbs is comparatively cost-effective in providing synergistic effects with minimal side effects. This review provides insight into the role and mechanism of diverse medicinal plants with wound healing potential for acute wound management.