Plantago mechanisms for enhanced wound healing: A review on bioactive phytoconstituents

Plantago (Plantaginaceae family) exhibits remarkable diversity with over 200 species. These plants are closely associated with traditional medicine worldwide, particularly as a wound healing therapy. Recent research has revealed phytoconstituents in various Plantago species, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic acid derivatives, iridoid glycosides, fatty acids, and polysaccharides. Despite the advanced ongoing research on Plantago extracts, there is still a gap in the evaluation of their potential as an effective topical product for chronic wounds and in the way phytoconstituents contribute to the overall effect in a single comprehensive systematic review. Therefore, this review aims to explore the wound healing capabilities of Plantago and its phytoconstituents, as well as elucidate their mechanisms of action. Our analysis emphasizes the significant wound healing potential in 25 Plantago species, notably Plantago major, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago australis, Plantago asiatica, and Plantago ovata. These plant species contain a diverse array of 57 phytoconstituents that collectively contribute to these activities. In conclusion, this review confirms the huge potential of Plantago genus as a topical wound healing agent. The healing mechanisms cover a wide array of effects such as anti-bacterial activity, anti-apoptosis, stimulation of collagen synthesis and deposition, promotion of angiogenesis, suppression of inflammatory response, inhibition of cyclooxygenase, inhibition of MAPKs phosphorylation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity. A study on the network pharmacology of such potential is worth investigating as further research.