Smart Library
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Evidence level
Showing 38 of 755 entries. Refine via URL query params.
Conditions
3Metabolic Syndrome (Investigational Adjunct)
Tier CInvestigational adjunct to lifestyle modification in metabolic syndrome; no clinical study in metabolic syndrome identified; weight loss, dietary modification, and pharmacotherapy remain primary.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Investigational Adjunct)
Tier CInvestigational adjunct in NAFLD/MASLD; no human clinical study identified; weight loss, dietary modification, and resmetirom remain primary.
Vascular Cognitive Impairment (Highly Investigational)
Tier CHighly investigational; no clinical study of leech therapy with cognitive outcomes was identified; vascular risk-factor management (BP, lipids, antiplatelet, lifestyle) remains primary.
Compounds
20Ghilanten
Factor Xa inhibitor with anti-metastatic activity in animal cancer models — translational dual-use compound.
Granulin (leech-derived)
Growth factor and wound-healing modulator — promotes angiogenesis and tissue regeneration.
Sylvestin
43-amino-acid contact-kinin pathway inhibitor from forest leech Haemadipsa sylvestris — plasma kallikrein + FXIIa dual blocker; preclinical stroke neuroprotection without bleeding tendency.
RK22
Novel antimicrobial peptide from Hirudinaria manillensis salivary transcriptome — MIC 6.25 µg/mL against MRSA, no thrombogenic effect, in vivo efficacy in mice.
WP-PEP (LRELEDALEQER)
Thrombin exosite-II-binding 12-residue anticoagulant peptide screened from Whitmania pigra hydrolysates (Hua 2025) via computation-guided strategy.
WP Peptide LR
Whitmania pigra-derived anticoagulant peptide showing neuroprotection in rat MCAO ischemia-reperfusion model (Liu 2026) — thrombin modulation + fibrinolysis homeostasis.
Poeciguamerin
Antistasin-domain dual analgesic + antithrombotic serine protease inhibitor from Poecilobdella manillensis — Wang 2023 explains the painless-bleed phenotype.
Poecistasin
48-aa antistasin-type single-domain serine protease inhibitor from Poecilobdella manillensis — anticoagulant + anti-ischemic-stroke preclinical activity (Tang 2018).
Pigrin
Selective PAR1 antagonist from non-hematophagous Whitmania pigra — Ren 2019 demonstrates antithrombotic activity in rat without prolonging bleeding time.
WP-77
20.8 kDa thermostable anticoagulant protein from Whitmania pigra decoction — active across 20-100°C and pH 2-8 (Zhang 2022).
WP-30
30-residue antiplatelet peptide from Whitmania pigra selectively inhibiting thrombin-induced platelet aggregation — Liu 2016 demonstrates rat arterio-venous shunt thrombosis attenuation.
HnSaratin
Hirudo nipponia saratin homolog — Cheng 2023 cloning + recombinant production demonstrates collagen-binding antiplatelet activity.
Hirudin Anti-Pulmonary-Fibrosis (PGC1α / Sirt3)
Preclinical demonstration that hirudin attenuates idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis fibroblast senescence via the PGC1α / Sirt3 axis — He 2024 mouse model + primary lung fibroblasts.
Leech Extract >10 kDa Anti-Pulmonary-Fibrosis (TGFβ1 / Smad3)
Molecular-weight-fractionated leech extract (>10 kDa) attenuates pulmonary fibrosis via TGFβ1 / Smad3 / PKM2 / Smad7 — Zhang 2024 bleomycin-induced mouse model.
Shuxuetong (SXT) Injection Active Peptides
Three angiogenic peptides (DSYVGDEAQSKR, YNELRVAPEEHP, IQFLPEGSPVTM) from a leech + earthworm Shuxuetong (SXT) injection — Sun 2022 hindlimb-ischemia model.
Leech / LSE Flap-Survival VEGF Induction (Rat)
Dorsal random skin-flap rat model: medicinal leech application + leech saliva extract injection both increase VEGF, neovascularisation + reduce necrosis vs control — Ünal 2025.
WP-PEP-LRELEDALEQER
Computation-guided 12-mer anticoagulant peptide from Whitmania pigra hydrolysate targeting thrombin Exosite II — Hua 2025 in vivo + SPR validation.
WP-77 Thermostable Anticoagulant (Whitmania pigra)
Thermostable (20–100 °C, pH 2–8) ~20.8 kDa anticoagulant protein from Whitmania pigra decoction — Zhang 2022 in vivo carrageenan thrombosis model.
Leech Saliva Pulmonary-Fibrosis Pharmacology (Composite)
Leech extract + saliva pharmacology relevant to pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrotic diseases (composite topic entry; no single primary publication attributed).
RK22 Antimicrobial Peptide (MRSA-Active)
11-mer antimicrobial peptide RK22 from Hirudinaria manillensis salivary-gland transcriptome — Lu 2023 demonstrates MRSA killing + biofilm eradication.
RCTs
15Investigating the therapeutic potential of medical leech and leech saliva extract in flap survival: an in vivo study using rats
GRADE very lowÜnal K, Emre Erol M, Dayanır D, Deniz E, Ayhan H, Fındıkçıoğlu K (2025) · Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine
Efficiency of medical leech on experimentally induced incisional wound healing in rats
GRADE very lowBilden A, Kara O, Kahraman M, Caglayan N, Cicek M (2025) · Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine
Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome
GRADE lowBilden A, Kocak S, Yildiz HT, Cakir F, Kahraman M, Cicek M (2026) · BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Investigation of the therapeutic effects of medicinal leech treatment on lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury
GRADE lowUnal K, Samur B, Sharif A, Ibrahimkhanli L, Yumusak N (2026) · Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine
Evaluation of Methylene Blue as An Effective Antiseptic for Medicinal Leeches
GRADE very lowDoğan S, Farzali S, Karimova B, Sağlam N (2024) · Türkiye Parazitoloji Dergisi
Comparative genomics suggests extensive antithrombotic gene expansion in Haemadipsa yanyuanensis
GRADE very lowLin Y, Zhao F, Fan S, Yang D, Tong X, Tang L, Kong D, Lin G, Liu Z (2025) · BMC Genomics
Comparative Study of Hirustasin Superfamily Gene Expression in Two Medicinal Leeches, Hirudinaria manillensis and Whitmania pigra
GRADE very lowSun R, Ai R, Yin J, Cheng J, Huang Z, Tang L, Liu Z, Zeng Q, Zhao F, Lin G (2025) · Genes
Genetic Variation and Gene Expression of the Antimicrobial Peptide Macins in Asian Buffalo Leech (Hirudinaria manillensis)
GRADE very lowYu Y, Tang L, Xiao M, Yin J, Ye T, Sun R, Ai R, Zhao F, Huang Z, Lin G (2025) · Biology
Identification and Characterization of RK22, a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide from Hirudinaria manillensis against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
GRADE very lowLu X, Yang M, Zhou S, Yang S, Chen X, Khalid M, Wang K, Fang Y, Wang C, Lai R, Duan Z (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Transcriptomic profiling and the first spatial expression analysis of candidate genes in the salivary gland of the East Asian medicinal leech, Hirudo nipponia
GRADE very lowKim JH, Lee CJ, Yu YS, Aryal YP, Kim S, Suh JY, Kim JY, Min SH, Cha IT, Lee HY, Shin SY, Cho SJ (2023) · Developmental and Comparative Immunology
Cloning, characterization, and heterologous expression of a candidate Hirudin gene from the salivary gland transcriptome of Hirudo nipponia
GRADE very lowShi P, Wei J, You H, Chen S, Tan F, Lu Z (2023) · Scientific Reports
Life without blood: Molecular and functional analysis of hirudins and hirudin-like factors of the Asian non-hematophagous leech Whitmania pigra
GRADE very lowMüller C, Wang Z, Hamann M, Sponholz D, Hildebrandt JP (2022) · Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Transcriptomic analysis of the salivary gland of medicinal leech Hirudo nipponia
GRADE very lowLu Z, Shi P, You H, Liu Y, Chen S (2018) · PLoS ONE
Hirudins and fenestrins of the African medicinal leech Asiaticobdella fenestrata
GRADE very lowSchulz L, Tolksdorf C, Rauch BH, Kvist S, Müller C (2025) · Parasitology Research
Draft genome sequences of Hirudo medicinalis and salivary transcriptome of three closely related medicinal leeches
GRADE very lowBabenko VV, Podgorny OV, Manuvera VA, Kasianov AS, Manolov AI, Grafskaia EN, Shirokov DA, Kurdyumov AS, Vinogradov DV, Nikitina AS, Kovalchuk SI, Anikanov NA, Butenko IO, Pobeguts OV, Matyushkina DS, Rakitina DV, Kostryukova ES, Zgoda VG, Baskova IP, Trukhan VM, Gelfand MS, Govorun VM, Schiöth HB, Lazarev VN (2020) · BMC Genomics