Therapeutic Potential of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. in Diabetic Wound Management: An Ethnomedicinal Perspective

Nowadays, diabetic wounds are a major concern in the medical and animal fields due to delayed wound healing, as reactive oxygen species play a crucial role in the healing process. Pro-inflammatory molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and interleukin (IL)-1 β, are most prevalent in diabetic wounds, along with anti-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, which exhibit dysregulated macrophage responses. Although various plants exhibit strong anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antidiabetic properties, only a few have been used as effective therapeutic agents for diabetic wounds. More plants need to be explored for their effects on diabetic wounds. Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. is Devil's tree, which is a rich source of various alkaloids, such as tubotaiwine, picralinal, and 16-formyl-5-methoxystrictamine, making it a potential therapeutic agent against diabetic wounds. The relevant articles showing the pharmacological effects of the tree, A. scholaris (L.) R. Br. were searched in search engines like Google Scholar, Web of Science databases, and PubMed. It also shows numerous biological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, stimulant, carminative, stomachic, hemostatic, inhibitory cytokine, wound-healing, hypoglycemic, improving collagen and hydroxyproline synthesis, repair of skin tears, increasing granulation strength, and helping in wound contraction in models. More research on A. scholaris is needed to prove it as a potential therapeutic regimen against diabetic wounds. Therefore, this review highlights the pharmacological properties and biological effects of A. scholaris, demonstrating its potential as a candidate for the treatment of diabetic wounds.