From Forest to First Aid: A Review of Western Ghats Plants for Wound Healing

Abstract

India has been blessed with immense varieties of plants and most of them are found in the Western Ghats. There is a vast number of medicinal plants are found in the Western Ghats, which are widely used by the indigenous people. Medicinal plants have an essential role in healing and managing wounds. The bioactive compounds found in plants are responsible for its wound healing activities. The wound healing properties of the medicinal plants are influenced by the anti- microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties of plants. The selected medicinal plants possess remarkable inhibitory activity against the different bacterial as well as fungal species. Besides that, the results of the in-vitro studies have also reported the significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing properties of those medicinal plants. Hence, the medicinal plants found in Western Ghats will be promising source for treating and healing the different types of wounds. The present review aims to document the scientific reports for the anti-microbial, anti- inflammatory, anti-oxidant and wound healing potency of some of the medicinal plants of Western Ghats.