Comparative Review of Indian Medicinal Plants Containing Allantoin

Abstract

Allantoin, a naturally occurring nitrogenous heterocyclic compound with the empirical formula C₄H₆N₄O₃, exhibits significant dermatological and regenerative properties, including potent wound healing, tissue regeneration, anti-inflammatory, and emollient effects. While primarily recognized for its abundance in Symphytum officinale (comfrey), recent phytochemical investigations have revealed its presence or substantiated allantoin-like bioactivity in numerous indigenous Indian medicinal plants. These botanicals, deeply integrated into traditional Indian medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha, represent promising avenues for advanced pharmacological exploration. This review provides a comparative analysis of six key Indian medicinal plants—Pisonia grandis, Plantago major, Symphytum officinale, Aloe vera, Beta vulgaris (beetroot), and Musa spp. (banana)—known to contain allantoin or elicit analogous therapeutic responses. For each species, traditional ethnomedicinal applications, established phytochemical profiles, and documented health benefits are critically examined, with particular emphasis on evidence of allantoin identification or inferred contribution to observed bioactivity. Direct chemical profiling methods, such as RP-HPLC, have confirmed allantoin in Pisonia grandis, Plantago major, and Symphytum officinale. While direct quantification in Aloe vera, Beta vulgaris, and Musa spp. remains less consistently reported in peer-reviewed literature, their established therapeutic actions in wound care and inflammation management strongly suggest the involvement of allantoin or functionally similar compounds. The review further elucidates allantoin’s molecular mechanisms, including its role in stimulating cellular proliferation, accelerating extracellular matrix remodelling, and modulating inflammatory cascades, properties central to its utility in dermatological and advanced wound-care formulations. The efficacy of these plants in traditional Indian medicine is supported by extensive ethnobotanical records and a growing body of modern pharmacological studies. However, a significant gap persists in the standardized phytochemical evaluation and quantitative determination of allantoin across a broader spectrum of Indian medicinal herbs. Consequently, this review underscores the imperative for rigorous biochemical and pharmacological investigations to confirm allantoin's presence, assess its bioavailability, and systematically explore its full therapeutic potential for contemporary clinical applications.