Galangin as a Therapeutic Agent for Wound Healing: Pharmacology, Challenges, and Advanced Delivery Systems

Galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) is a naturally occurring flavonoid predominant in plants such as Alpinia officinarum (lesser galangal), galangal rhizomes and propolis. Its broad pharmacological profile includes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-fibrotic, and cell-modulatory effects. Although most research has focused on cancer, cardiovascular, and fibrotic diseases, emerging evidence suggests potential roles for galangin in wound healing and dermal repair processes. However, critical challenges such as poor solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and limited clinical translation have impeded its therapeutic development. Advanced delivery systems — including hydrogels, nanoparticles, and biopolymer carriers — provide promising strategies to overcome these limitations. This review synthesizes the current evidence on galangin’s pharmacology in wound healing, discusses mechanistic pathways, highlights challenges for clinical application, and explores advanced delivery platforms designed to enhance its therapeutic potential.Wound healing is a highly coordinated biological process involving inflammation, cell migration, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix deposition, and tissue remodeling. Impairment in any of these phases can lead to chronic, non-healing wounds, representing a significant clinical challenge. Galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), a naturally occurring flavonoid found in Alpinia officinarum, propolis, and related plant sources, has attracted increasing attention due to its diverse pharmacological activities. Galangin exhibits potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-fibrotic properties, which are highly relevant to key stages of wound repair. Experimental studies suggest that galangin can modulate inflammatory mediators, regulate fibroblast migration and proliferation, suppress excessive collagen deposition through the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, and reduce oxidative stress, thereby promoting more effective wound healing. Despite these promising effects, the therapeutic application of galangin is limited by poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and insufficient in vivo and clinical evidence.