Abstract

HIRUDOTHERAPY – A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF USE OF INVERTEBRATES IN THE TREATMENT OF VERTEBRATES

Dr. Pooja Rajendran*

ABSTRACT

Hirudotherapy or Medicinal Leech Therapy, is an old technique, which make use of Hirudo medicinalis for blood letting. Records of the medical usage of leech for blood letting date back to the beginning of civilization. While leech therapy may sound like a relic of the past, it is still used in medical settings. Leeches secrete more than 20 identified bioactive substances which have actions like analgesic, anti inflammatory and anticoagulant effect. Beauty of this procedure is it requires around one hour on OPD basis without any anaesthesia and complication and can be carried out in patients of all ages. The technique is economic, effective and easy, and its utility is wide, which make it more popular. The current work presents a brief review on leech and leech therapy.

Keywords: Hirudo medicinalis, Hirudotherapy, Leech, Medicinal Leech Therapy.