Natural actives for wound healing: A review.

Nature has been a source of medicinal treatments for thousands of years, with the use of plants as prototypes for drug development and for the extraction of active compounds. Skin injuries occur regularly in everyday life, and the human skin has the ability to promote repair spontaneously under healthy conditions. However, some intrinsic and external factors may interfere with skins' natural ability, leading to nonhealing lesions and chronic wounds, which directly affect health and quality of life. Thus, attention should be given to this health problem, using an appropriated management when necessary. In this scenario, phytotherapy may be an option for cutaneous wound treatment, although further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of plants. This article reviews traditionally used natural actives for wound healing, highlighting their characteristics and mode of action.