Sustainable Dry Crude Pomegranate Peel Extract as a Bio‐input for Medicinal Gels: A Promising Alternative for Wound Healing

ABSTRACT The sustainable use of pomegranate peel, a by‐product of the food industry, is gaining importance in developing pharmaceutical bio‐inputs, aligning with circular economy practices and waste reduction. This study explores the application of dry crude pomegranate peel extract (PPE) as a bio‐input for medicinal gels with wound healing properties. PPE was extracted via percolation in ethanol and freeze‐dried. High‐performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry identified key bioactive compounds: gallic acid, punicalagin, punicalin, ellagic acid, and citric acid, recognized for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and healing properties. In vitro assays revealed low hemolytic activity, non‐cytotoxicity, significant fibroblast proliferation, and robust antioxidant activity (95.99% 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl scavenging at 100 µg/mL). A carbomer gel containing 2.5% w/w of the extract effectively promoted wound healing in rats, with performance comparable to that of silver sulfadiazine ointment, while demonstrating no microbial contamination during the process. These findings position PPE as a promising, sustainable, and effective alternative for wound‐care pharmacotherapy, addressing both medical needs and environmental sustainability.