Medicinal plants represent promising sources for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders because of their abundance in bioactive compounds with therapeutic properties. Throughout history, various plant species have been used to alleviate digestive ailments, and studies have revealed the presence of metabolites with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antidiarrheal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. The secondary metabolites responsible for these properties include alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, with the latter, particularly flavonoids, being the most associated with their bioactivities. Gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastrointestinal cancer, are caused primarily by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and the consumption of raw or undercooked foods. These conditions significantly impact human health, necessitating the development of safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives. After an extensive literature review, several plant species with widespread use in the treatment of these disorders were identified, including Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha spicata, Melissa officinalis, Artemisia ludoviciana, Flourensia cernua, Phoradendron californicum, and Turnera difusa. This study revealed that the analyzed plants are rich in bioactive compounds, which confer their medicinal properties. However, many other plants commonly used to treat digestive disorders have been scarcely studied, highlighting the need for further research.

Medicinal plants are widely used in traditional medicine because of their bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. The semidesert Mexican species Flourensia cernua, Artemisia ludoviciana, and Phoradendron californicum have been traditionally employed as infusions for gastrointestinal disorders. In this study, chemical composition, infusion extraction, phytochemical profiling, antioxidant capacity, and antiparasitic and antibacterial activity were evaluated. The extracts were characterized via HPLC–MS, encapsulated in agar–agar beads, and subjected to in vitro simulated digestion. A. ludoviciana presented the highest content of hydrolysable and condensed tannins (5473.33 ± 305.5 mg GAE/100 g; 959.58 ± 14.6 mg CE/100 g, respectively). F. cernua presented the highest flavonoid concentration (582.67 ± 16.90 mg CE/100 g). The highest antioxidant activity was observed in P. californicum (IC₅₀ 74.18 ± 18.43 μg TE/mL in DPPH; IC₅₀ 333.38 ± 56.36 μg TE/mL in ABTS). In terms of antiparasitic effects, A. ludoviciana extracts presented the lowest IC₅₀ value (0.51 ± 0.01 mg/mL), indicating the highest antiparasitic activity. Antibacterial assays revealed that F. cernua had the greatest inhibitory effect on E. coli (79.60%) and S. aureus (78.40%). Encapsulation preserved extract integrity, although simulated digestion resulted in limited compound release, with hydrolysable tannins being the most released. Overall, P. californicum presented the strongest antioxidant response, and encapsulation was confirmed as an effective strategy to preserve extract integrity.

Medicinal plants are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with a broad range of therapeutic properties. In Mexico, the bioactive potential of Flourensia cernua, Artemisia ludoviciana, and Phoradendron californicum continues to be investigated; however, conventional extraction approaches often result in low yields of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to optimize the extraction process using the Taguchi methodology coupled with ultrasound-assisted extraction. An L9 (3³) orthogonal array was employed to evaluate extraction time, ethanol concentration, and solid-to-liquid ratio, using total phenolic content as the response variable. Under the optimal conditions predicted by the software, condensed tannins, total flavonoids, and antioxidant, antiparasitic, and antibacterial activities were subsequently determined. The compounds present in the extracts were tentatively identified by HPLC–MS. P. californicum exhibited the highest levels of total phenolic content and total flavonoids, with 106.07 ± 4.16 GAE mg∙g⁻¹ and 9.04 ± 0.31 CE mg∙g⁻¹, respectively. F. cernua showed the highest content of condensed tannins, reaching 6.71 ± 0.10 CE mg∙g⁻¹. ABTS radical-scavenging activity was highest for A. ludoviciana (IC₅₀ = 19.37 ± 4.23 μg∙mL⁻¹), whereas F. cernua exhibited the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 755.92 ± 70.60 μg∙mL⁻¹). Furthermore, A. ludoviciana showed the highest antiparasitic activity (IC₅₀ = 0.51 ± 0.20 mg∙mL⁻¹) and antibacterial activity against the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli (89.59%) and Staphylococcus aureus (91.55%). These findings support the potential of UAE-optimized extracts as sources of bioactive ingredients for industrial applications.

This study evaluated spray-dried microcapsules as a strategy for preserving the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of purified phytochemicals from Hamelia patens. Maltodextrin, whey protein, and pectin were screened as wall materials, and whey protein produced the highest encapsulation efficiency (96.33%). A 3² full factorial design was then used to evaluate the effects of the amounts of phytochemicals (1.0–3.0 mg) and whey protein (0.5–1.5 g). The formulation containing 1.0 mg of phytochemicals and 0.5 g of whey protein achieved the highest efficiency (92.30 ± 0.53%). Scanning electron microscopy showed aggregated, irregular-to-quasi-spherical particles with apparent micrometric dimensions. During four weeks of storage, the microcapsules retained activity against lipid peroxidation and maintained reducing capacity, although DPPH radical inhibition and total polyphenol content decreased. Antimicrobial activity was detected from weeks 7 to 10 against Escherichia coli β (−), Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae at microcapsule concentrations of 12,500–25,000 µg/mL. Overall, whey protein was an effective wall material for retaining H. patens phytochemicals, although the assay-dependent changes observed during storage indicate that further studies of release behavior and application-specific stability are required.