Leech Extract Cardiovascular Pharmacology (2022 Review)
Review of leech extract's cardiovascular and atherosclerotic pharmacological effects in animal + cell models — May 2022.
Preclinical / mechanisticLast updated: 2026-05-28 · Reviewed by ASH Editorial Board
Mechanistic Evidence Box
Preclinical / mechanistic- Page type
- Compound profile
- Evidence type
- Review of leech extract's cardiovascular and atherosclerotic pharmacological effects in animal + cell models — May 2022.
- Evidence level
- Expert consensus
- Drug vs leech
- Leech-derived crude extract
- Safety domains
- Bleeding
Clinical translation limit
Review evidence does NOT establish clinical efficacy in humans for atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease. Not an FDA-cleared indication.
Molecular Profile
- Category
- Other
- Evidence tier
- Preclinical
- Source species
- Hirudo medicinalis / Hirudo nipponia / Whitmania pigra (composite)
- Discovered
- 2022 · Khan T et al.
Biological Targets
- → thrombus formation; platelet aggregation; atherosclerotic plaque; vascular endothelium
Key Citations
- Wang K et al. (2022), J Ethnopharmacol · PMID 35589020
External Resources
Related Other Compounds
Granulin (leech-derived)
Growth factor and wound-healing modulator — promotes angiogenesis and tissue regeneration.
Leech VEGF Modulator
Vascular endothelial growth factor pathway modulator — angiogenic and wound-healing implications.
Leech PDGF Modulator
Platelet-derived growth factor pathway modulator — implications for wound-healing.
Leech Granulin-A
Granulin-family peptide identified in Hirudo medicinalis — putative growth-factor / wound-healing analog (mechanistic only).