Wound Healing Potential of Ehretia laevis Roxb.: A Comprehensive Review of Phytochemical, Preclinical, and Clinical Studies

Ehretia laevis Roxb., a medicinal tree from the Boraginaceae family, has been a cornerstone of traditional medicine across Asia for treating a multitude of ailments, particularly those involving inflammation and tissue damage. This review synthesizes and critically evaluates current scientific evidence on the wound-healing potential of Ehretia laevis Roxb., a traditionally used medicinal plant whose modern pharmacological validation remains limited. By integrating preclinical and emerging clinical data, the review aims to bridge traditional ethno-medicinal knowledge with contemporary biomedical science while outlining strategies for developing standardized phytopharmaceutical to address challenges such as chronic wounds and antimicrobial resistance.

A comprehensive literature search across major scientific databases identified in vitro, in vivo, toxicological, and preliminary clinical studies relevant to wound repair, antimicrobial activity, and phytochemistry. Thematically analysed data revealed that E. laevis possesses multifaceted wound-healing abilities driven by pentacyclic triterpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, which contribute to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Its therapeutic efficacy is notably solvent-dependent: less polar extracts enhance healing in clean excision wounds, whereas highly polar extracts perform exceptionally well in complex burn injuries and may even surpass standard treatments. Preliminary clinical observations also indicate the effectiveness of traditional leaf preparations in infected wounds without requiring adjunct antibiotics.

Overall, the evidence positions E. laevis as a promising phyto-antibiotic candidate for modern topical formulations. However, concerns regarding hepatotoxicity in non-polar extracts underscore the need to prioritize safer polar fractions. Future progress will depend on developing standardized, safe extracts, conducting large-scale clinical trials, and performing detailed mechanistic studies focusing on key regulators of wound repair such as VEGF and TGF-β.