A review of past promises, present realities and a vibrant future for wound dressing from naturally occurring to sustainable materials

Abstract

In the contemporary world, evolution of the scientific field has reached an elevation but has its own intricacies. It is necessary to use naturally occurring materials, which are often incorporated into modern therapeutics and have made major contributions. Generated medical waste needs to be processed to ensure that clean-up is not messy. In many cases, the cost of waste disposal is greater than the cost of the starting materials. It is important to prevent, or at least minimize, the formation of hazardous products that are environmentally harmful. In this study, we review the various applications of phytochemicals, such as curcumin, EGCG, tannic acid, cellulose, ascorbic acid, aloe vera and quercetin, for the healing of chronic wounds (e.g., incisional, diabetic and burn wounds), along with antiviral and antibacterial properties, with an emphasis on hydrogels fabricated from biopolymers.