Century Plant

At a glance

Origin / distribution: India(Santal), Mexico(Kickapoo), Venezuela, Mexico, Haiti, English, Lesotho, Greece

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Ascites, Bruise(Veterinary), Cancer, Cicatrizant

Science studied: AGAVASAPONINS, AGAVOSIDES, L-ARABINOSE, CARBOHYDRATES

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Agavaceae

Scientific name: Agave americana

Common names: Century Plant, Maguey, Agave, Agave d'Amerique, Agave d'Amérique, American agave, American aloe, American century plant, American-aloe

POWO: 319063-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in India(Santal), Mexico(Kickapoo), Venezuela, Mexico, Haiti, English, Lesotho, Greece and 6 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Ascites
• Bruise(Veterinary)
• Cancer
• Cicatrizant
• Diuretic
• Dysentery
• Fiber
• Hedge

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• India(Santal)
• Mexico(Kickapoo)
• Venezuela
• Mexico
• Haiti
• English
• Lesotho
• Greece
• China
• Turkey
• Germany
• US

Documented cultural uses

• Ascites
• Bruise(Veterinary)
• Cancer
• Cicatrizant
• Diuretic
• Dysentery
• Fiber
• Hedge
• Leukemia
• Liqueur
• Sore
• Syphilis

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Ascites · India(Santal) · "
• Bruise(Veterinary) · Mexico(Kickapoo) · "
• Cancer · Venezuela · "
• Cancer · Mexico · "
• Cicatrizant · Haiti · "
• Diuretic · English · "
• Dysentery · Haiti · "
• Fiber · Lesotho · "
• Hedge · Lesotho · "
• Leukemia · Greece · "
• Liqueur · China · "
• Sore · Haiti · "
• Syphilis · Turkey · "
• Tumor · Germany · "
• Tumor · Venezuela · "
• Wart · Mexico · "
• Cancer · US · "
• Depurative · Portuguese · "
• Scurvy · Italian · "
• Sore · Mexico · "
• Sprain(Veterinary) · Haiti · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Use, management and domestication of Agave americana in Mexico. · 2026 source ↗
• Use, management and domestication of Agave americana in Mexico · 2026 source ↗
• Fast kinetics of Ni(II) adsorption on Agave americana fiber and Areca catechu nut husk fiber · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• AGAVASAPONINS
• AGAVOSIDES
• L-ARABINOSE
• CARBOHYDRATES
• CHLOROGENIN
• FAT
• FIBER
• GALACTOSE
• GLUCOSE
• HECOGENIN
• KAEMPFEROL-3-0-GLUCOSIDE
• KAEMPFEROL-3-RUTINOOSIDE
• PISCIDIC-ACID
• PROTEIN
• ROCOGENIN
• SAPONIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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