About Medicinal Leeches

Leeches are annelids comprising the subclass Hirudinea. There are fresh water, terrestrial, and marine leeches. Like their near relatives, the Oligochaeta, they share the presence of a clitellum. Like earthworms, leeches are hermaphrodites. There are 650 known species of leeches. The Hirudo leech has three jaws with 100 teeth on each jaw - making 300 teeth in all. The Medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, which is native to Europe, and its congeners have been used for clinical bloodletting for thousands of years.

Today, doctors use leeches for treating abscesses, painful joints, glaucoma, myasthenia, and to heal venous diseases and thrombosis. Medical leeches are used in plastic surgery, for improving blood circulation and for curing infertility.
The majority of the applications of the leech in human medicine are also valid in veterinary medicine. So they are similarly pointed out in the treatment of thromboses, phlebitis, furuncles, hemorrhoids, haematomata, edemata, tendinites They can also be used in surgery in cases of tissulaires transplants.
The general indications for hirudotherapy are Heart Diseases, Inflammatory Reactions, Rheumatic Diseases, Arthritis, Muscle Tension, Tendovaginitis and Tendinitis, Venous Disease and Varicose Veins, Thrombosis and embolism, Antidyscratic therapy ( blood purification and regeneration) of toxicoses and mental illnesses, Arthrosis, Passive congestions and spastic conditions, Transudates and exudates, Vertebrogenic Pain Syndromes.
A simple principle lies at the heart of all hirudo-miracles. During the process of feeding, leeches secrete a complex mixture of different biologically and pharmacologically active substances into the wound. Hirudin is the best known component of leech saliva. Hirudin is sometimes used to describe all active substance in leech saliva. In reality, Hirudin refers only to one specific active substance in leech salive.

Components of Medicinal leech saliva that exert effects in the host's body are:

There are lots of  bioactive substances in Medicinal Leeches. These bioactive substances are used in Cosmetics and Pharmacies.

Bioactive substances of the Medicinal Leeches:

Leech Maintenance

Water
Use dechlorinated bottled water. The greater the amount of water, the less it needs changing. No more than 50 leeches should go into a 2.5 litre container. It will be good to change water every two days.

Temperature
The leeches will survive quite happily in a refrigerator or in a cool place, provided the temperature does not exceed 15°C. Special care and attention should be taken if the leeches are to be used in a heated hospital ward. Keep them as cool as possible until they are needed. Never put leeches into direct sunlight.

Container
A lid is essential. Leeches are amphibious and like to crawl about. Perforations are advised but they must be very small indeed, as the leech body is elastic and capable of going through remarkably small openings. A cloth cover secured tightly with string, rubber band or tape is useful. Do not overcrowd.

DISPOSAL OF LEECHES AFTER USE
DO NOT USE THE LEECHES WHICH HAVE BEEN USED and DO NOT RETURN a used leech to the pharmacy.
As with a dirty needle, failure to comply with this warning could result in transmittal of serious infectious diseases. Leeches which have been used on a patient should be disposed of by placing in a container of 70% alcohol for 5 minutes, then disposed of just as other infectious waste is disposed of.