Plant-derived Bioactives in Advanced Wound Dressings: Hydrogel Technologies, On-demand Delivery Systems, and Translational Challenges
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Wound management has progressed from conventional topical preparations to advanced dressings designed to maintain an appropriate moisture balance, manage exudate, protect the wound bed, and support tissue repair. Plant-derived bioactive compounds have attracted considerable research interest because of their reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and tissue-modulating properties. However, botanical ingredients exhibit substantial variability in composition, biological activity, and safety, making standardization and formulation-specific evaluation essential. This narrative review examines the biological processes involved in wound healing, hydrogel technology, plant-derived bioactives, natural polymer matrices, and emerging strategies for developing advanced wound dressings. Selected botanical ingredients, including Aloe vera, curcumin from Curcuma longa, Centella asiatica, green-tea polyphenols, and neem-derived constituents, are discussed in relation to their potential formulation applications and the limitations of the available evidence. Cellulose derivatives, pectin, starch, and alginate are considered as matrix-forming materials, with their botanical or marine origins clearly distinguished. Particular attention is given to an emerging research concept involving a dry, unit-dose tablet that can be dispersed and hydrated to produce a wound-contact hydrogel. Such a system could offer advantages in portability and on-demand preparation, but its feasibility depends on reproducible hydration, gel cohesion, dose uniformity, extract stability, microbiological control, and biological compatibility. The proposed tablet-activated system should be regarded as a developmental concept rather than an established clinical technology. Future research should prioritize standardized botanical materials, comparative formulation studies, validated analytical methods, risk-based biological evaluation, and clinically relevant performance outcomes. Translational progress will depend on demonstrating a meaningful advantage over conventional ready-to-use dressings.
Language: English
Topic: Wound Healing and Treatments
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225746980
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