Abstract

Baccharis genistelloides subsp. crispa, better known as carqueja, is a phytotherapeutic and ethnomedicinal resource widely used in South America, mainly for the treatment of gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders. In recent years, the species has been the target of scientific research on its pharmacological activities on the digestive system; however, due to the emergence of recent studies and the lack of a critical, integrated, and specific discussion on its action on the digestive system, there is a need for a review on this subject. For this purpose, an extensive and updated search was carried out on documents that discussed the effect of carqueja on the digestive system so that 19 articles were selected and included in the main section of the article. The compilation and discussion of these studies highlighted the activity of carqueja in improving gastric ulcers, acting as an inhibitor of the histaminergic and cholinergic pathways that stimulate gastric acid production, as well as its effect as a liver and intestinal regulator, preventing harmful effects on hepatocytes, promoting bile synthesis and acting as a relaxant of the jejunal muscles, in addition to inhibiting digestive enzymes. Furthermore, flavonoids, phenolic derivatives, clerodane diterpenes, and components of its essential oil are reported as its main active phytochemicals and are involved in a specific and synergistic way with the mechanisms of action described for the species.

Key words: Pharmacology, phytochemicals, carqueja, mechanisms of action