Tropical plant (homeland – South America). In our country, it is common as an indoor ornamental plant, somewhat similar to aloe, or agave, but its leaves are wider, half the size of a palm. Agave does not have a stem at the root that rises above the fleshy awl-shaped leaves, as is sometimes the case with aloe.
For medicinal purposes, the leaves and fresh juice of the plant are used. Agave usually lives 15-20 years. Leaves for treatment should be consumed from plants no younger than three years of age.
American agave has almost the same chemical and pharmacological properties as aloe, but it has not yet been specially studied and is used for medicinal purposes only by the people. Agave is used for external use (for wounds, abscesses, etc.) and for oral administration (for diseases of the stomach, liver, lungs, etc.). Preparations from this plant have a disinfecting, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and expectorant effect.
Leaves for external use are consumed fresh, splitting the leaf and applying it to the sore spot with the cut side. A particularly good effect is the use of agave for abscesses and sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve).
In people with very sensitive skin, when applied to a sore spot and holding the agave for a long time, a powerful burning sensation occurs, but such a reaction should not be feared: there are no side effects and complications with all this, and one who patiently endures this unpleasant sensation will receive a positive result from treatment. To reduce skin irritation to the sore spot, it is necessary to apply a thin layer of fresh cottage cheese from time to time.
In internal diseases, agave is used mostly in the form of an infusion of fresh crushed leaves in water, and only in liver diseases and jaundice – in the form of a powder. A mixture of fresh American agave juice with honey is used orally for pulmonary tuberculosis and protracted stubborn bronchitis.
Application
When using an infusion or decoction for gastric diseases (especially with dyspepsia), it is better to combine them with a decoction of wormwood (10 g per 150 ml) in such a concentration: one part of wormwood to five parts of agave; dosage is the same.
This medicinal mixture is prepared as follows: 1 g or 20 drops of wormwood tincture (or 1 tablespoon of decoction), taken for 5 g or 1 teaspoon of agave juice, diluted in 0.5 liters of boiled water. Dose: 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times every day.
The powder is prepared from a dissected, air-dried leaf, crushed and sieved. Store in a dry place. Take 0.2-0.5 g (take on the tip of a penknife) 3 times every day.
Fresh agave juice (in combination with wormwood) is used instead of an infusion or decoction, 20 drops per spoon of water, which is especially recommended for incipient dropsy and to normalize the functional activity of the stomach and intestines.