An overview of phytomedicinal, ethnobotanical applications and phytochemical constituents of four major Agave species

Agave plants are members of the Asparagaceae family and have a wide range of applications. They have been proven to be advantageous to mankind for centuries. The plant is an ideal crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) crop model because of its succulent nature, ability to adapt to harsh climates, and capacity to thrive in water-limited environments. The genus Agave has many species and this review covers the most commonly found Agave species in India and also Agave tequilana that was recently introduced for cultivation at a few places in India due to its high commercial value. Agave, in general, is rich in carbohydrates and serves as a source of medicines, biofuels, and clothing. Selected species from this genus are used as a source of various commercially produced alcoholic beverages, like Tequila, Bacanora, and many others. Agave is rich in 'Inulin' type fructans that are indigestible carbohydrates, however, these are being explored as prebiotics for improving the growth of 'good' gut bacteria and for getting other health benefits, like enhanced nutrient absorption, reduced gut infections, better metabolism of fats and lipids. Agave is rich in steroidal saponins and produces diverse secondary metabolites (triterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolics) that show utilizable biological activities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic potential. There are very few reviews available that are relatively constrained to a scope or obsolete. Research is being carried out on Agave to identify new metabolites having therapeutic potential for the treatment of diverse medical conditions. This review is an attempt to summarize the information on distribution, phytochemical constituents, ethnobotanical and phytomedicinal importance, and new research carried out on these aspects.