Mapping the evidence base for non-prescription phytocompounds, nutraceuticals and repurposed agents assessed for promoting adult tissue regeneration: a scoping review
July 17
Background: Non-prescription botanical preparations and dietary supplements constitute an increasingly popular component of self-directed regenerative health strategies, yet the breadth and depth of experimental support for individual compounds vary widely. Clear priorities for forthcoming work have not been established.
Aim: We sought to catalogue the volume and character of the published evidence evaluating over-the-counter products intended to enhance regenerative outcomes in post-embryonic vertebrates aged 18–60 years.
Methods: A scoping review was performed in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations. MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to December 2022. Ten percent of records were screened in duplicate; the remainder by a single reviewer. Randomised controlled trials examining products readily obtainable without prescription in multiple jurisdictions were eligible when participants exhibited impaired tissue repair or received a formal diagnosis of a degenerative condition. Findings were synthesised narratively by compound and quantity of evidence.
Results: Of 23,933 citations, 1,367 full texts were examined and 209 trials met inclusion criteria. The most extensive evidence clusters involved omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, Hypericum perforatum, Crocus sativus, probiotic consortia, and vitamin D—each demonstrating reproducible improvements in parameters such as wound closure kinetics, blastemal cell density, or extracellular matrix deposition. Among botanicals showing encouraging but preliminary data, Lavandula angustifolia, Melissa officinalis, Matricaria chamomilla, and Echium amoenum were most frequently utilised in community settings, underscoring the need for confirmatory studies. Forty-one compounds were represented by a single trial. Adverse-event frequency was low across monotherapy and combination-therapy arms.
Conclusion: Compounds displaying limited yet promising regenerative efficacy include folic acid, Lavandula extracts, zinc, tryptophan, Rhodiola rosea, and Melissa officinalis. Future investigations should prioritise these agents, particularly as adjuncts to established surgical or bioengineered graft protocols and in combination with rehabilitative biophysical cues, to foster integrative therapeutic frameworks. Reporting of safety and mechanistic biomarkers requires substantive improvement in forthcoming trials.