# Phytochemical Analysis and Amoebicidal Evaluation of Different Agave Species  
[PERSON]  
1 Departamento de Microbiologia y Patologia, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Calle Sierra Mopada 950, Independencia Oriente, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.L.R.-Z.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (J.I.M.-F.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.N.-V)  
2 Departamento de Madera, Celuosa y Papel, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Cam. [PERSON] 440, Las Aguias 45221, Jalisco, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.A.B.-F.); bica.bica.  
(MTZ) is the most widely used standard therapy for invasive amoebiasis. However, the indiscriminate use of amoebicidal compounds has stimulated an increasing presence of strains resistant to these antibiotics and significantly high therapeutic failure rates [4; 5; 6]. Currently, plants and natural products continue to be important sources of novel bioactive compounds [7; 8; 9; 10]. Several studies have identified, quantified, and classified bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, saponins, terpen, and steroids, with potential uses as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial compounds [11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16]. The genus Agave consists of approximately 200 species; 150 are in Mexico, with 119 endemics [17; 18; 19]. This plant has been used principally to produce distilled alcoholic beverages, representing an economic benefit of billions of dollars yearly [20; 21; 22]. However, during production, a considerable amount of waste is generated, including the plant's spiky leaves [21; 22; 23]. Due to the presence of secondary metabolites such as phenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and saponins in Agave crude leaf extracts with well-known biological activities, they have been associated with several benefits for human health, curing and preventing many diseases including infectious diseases and cancer [24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31]. In particular, as antiparasitics, extracts of _Agave americana_ have been reported to exhibit significant leishmaniasisicald activities; 0.05 mg/mL was enough to eliminate promastigotes and axenic amastigotes after 24 h of treatment [32]. In addition, other studies reported by [PERSON] et al. (2011, 2013) proved that an extract from _Agave sisalana_ has effective activity against the eggs, larvae, and adult worms of gastrointestinal nematodes in in vitro assays [33; 34]. [PERSON] et al. (2008) reported cytostatic and growth inhibition activity in steroidal saponins from the plant _Agave brittiniana_ against _Trichomonas vaginalis_[35]. Other species, such as _Agave reguliana_ and _Agave angustifolia_, have been highlighted principally for their therapeutic benefits as antibacterial compounds [36; 37]. Even though there have been entirely positive results in biological assays, Agave extracts have not been widely evaluated against the most relevant intestinal protozoa. A first report by [PERSON] et al. (2020) showed 69% growth inhibition against _Entamoeba histolytica_ trophozoites by extracts of _Agave techugilla_ [PERSON] [38]. In this study, we determined and compared the phytochemical profiles of _Agave teulinaa_, _Agave magnustifolia_, _Agave rhodacantha_, and _Agave maximiliana_ and their cytotoxic effect on _E. histolytica_ trophozoites. Our investigation supports that Agave crude extract compounds are good candidates for the discovery of the untapped potential of the agro-wastes of the requila industry in the development of novel amoebicidal alternatives.