Transforming waste into medicine: Wound healing potential of banana peel phytoconstituents

Banana peel which is often discarded as waste, is a rich reservoir of bioactive compounds. It contains leucocyanidin, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, anthocyanins, tannins, biogenic amines, and carotenoids. These phytoconstituents play essential roles in tissue repair and wound healing through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial actions. Recent advances in extraction technologies, including ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, enzymatic, and supercritical fluid extraction, have enabled efficient recovery of these compounds. Their identification and quantification are reliably achieved using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry, and spectrophotometry. Evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicates that banana peel bioactives accelerate re-epithelialization, promote angiogenesis, enhance collagen deposition, and strengthen antioxidant defences. They also suppress oxidative stress, modulate inflammatory pathways, and reduce microbial burden, thereby supporting multiple stages of the wound healing cascade. Incorporation into nanoformulations, such as liposomes, polymeric micelles, and lipid nanoparticles, further improves stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic efficacy. Banana peel thus represents a safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable source of wound healing agents. Its broad therapeutic potential and ability to address key determinants of chronic wound management underscore its promise for translation into advanced biomedical applications. Further research and clinical validation are required to develop scalable formulations capable of transforming waste-derived banana peel into effective, affordable, and eco-friendly wound care products.