## 2 Phytochemicals with Wound Healing and Antimicrobial Efficacy  
Phytochemicals have historically been used to treat wounds, and they continue to be commonly employed in various therapeutic approaches because of their accessibility, biocompatibility, and multiprolonged activity. Phytochemical compounds are substances that naturally exist in plants. They are important for controlling inflammation, preventing infection, and accelerating wound healing. Each step of wound healing is associated with a variety of biological functions exerted by secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and alkaloids [17; 18]. Flavonoids, widely available in plant extracts, are associated with free radical scavenging, the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and alterations in many signaling pathways that govern inflammatory responses [19]. By offering antioxidant protection, anti-inflammatory modulation, antibacterial action, and encouragement of tissue regeneration, phytochemicals have shown the capacity to intervene at several points in this sequence [20]. Various phytochemicals might disrupt bacterial membranes or inhibit microbial enzymes, as follows: saponins, tannic acid, alkaloids, and berberine. Such effects have proven very useful against wound-infecting bacteria like _Pseudomonas aeruginosa_ and _Staphylococcus aureus_[21; 22]. Moreover, elevated levels of ROS signify oxidative stress, which interferes with wound healing via cell injury and the destruction of ECM proteins. Many phytochemicals scavenge the ROS produced, thus maintaining cell integrity during the healing process. On the contrary, curcumin and chlorogenic acid have been shown to improve angiogenesis in wound healing through their ability to lower oxidative damage and improve fibroblast viability. Notably, many phytochemicals, such as those derived from honey and curcumin, mainly switch off pro-inflammatory mediators such as TNF-\(\alpha\). Figure 2 depicts how inflammation is reduced by honey and curcumin through the inhibition of TGF-81, MMPs, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), leading to reduced oxidative stress, reduced ECM degradation, and reduced fibroblast hyperproliferation, which are commonly seen in chronic wound pathology and hypertrophic scar formation. The anti-inflammatory and ECM-stabilizing functions of tannic acid from _Terminalia arjuna_ and chebulagic acid from _Terminalia chebula_ follow the same pattern. These phytochemicals promote keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation and facilitate angiogenesis through VEGF overexpression [20]. Figure 2: The reduction of inflammation by honey dressing. Honey preserves extracellular matrix degradation and oxidative stress, which are characteristic of chronic wound conditions. Downregulation of hyperinflammatory mediators is one of the mechanisms by which honey promotes chronic wound healing, such as in diabetic ulcers. Reproduced from MDPI [20]. The healing abilities of many traditional plants have been confirmed in recent studies; for example, _Sphagneticola tribobata_ contains flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids and has been found to cause fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis in vitro. In excision wound models, it significantly reduced TNF-\(\alpha\) while increasing collagen and smooth muscle actin levels, indicative of anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties [23]. It also possesses additional high flavonoid, tannin, and phenolic contents that grant _Senna auriculata_ its antibacterial and wound-healing properties. Its methanolic extract possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and efficacy against several bacterial species, such as _Staphylococcus aureus_ and _Bacillus subtilis_[24]. Another study evaluated the wound healing properties of _Malva parviflora_ in excisional wound models, showing that its ethanolic leaf extract, rich in flavonoids and polyphenols, improved antioxidant status, increased collagen and hydroxyproline content, and facilitated wound healing [25].