Agave
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This article from the 1928–1936 Great Medical Encyclopedia describes the agave plant (century plant), its American origins, and its cultivation in the USSR. It details its historical use in folk medicine against scrofula and tuberculosis, noting its active ingredients such as resinous substances, saponin, and the sugar agavose.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
AGAVE, Agave (century plant), of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), native to America (Mexico, Brazil). In a wild state, it is found in Italy, Algeria, and Indochina. The roots, leaves, and stems of the plant are used as a folk remedy against scrofula and tuberculosis. It is cultivated in abundance in the USSR as an ornamental plant. The active principles are resinous substances, saponin, and a special sugar: agavose (C12H22O11).
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Cite this page
“Agave.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/agave/