The effect of blood human, domestic and small laboratory animals on the viability and behavior of the medicinal leech
Basic science / preclinical published in Annals of parasitology (2023)
Abstract
Medicinal leeches are used for therapeutic purposes in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Because they have a large amount of biologically active substances in their body. Each of these substances has many therapeutic effects. In natural conditions, they are mostly are fed of blood by wild animals. In laboratory conditions, the blood of domestic animals is mostly used. Currently, medicinal leeches are mostly bred in laboratory conditions. Because there are very few of them in nature. They are listed in the Red Book. Scientists of various specialties are looking for optimal conditions for their life and breeding. That became our research goal. To identify the influence of blood human, domestic animals (pigs and chickens) and small laboratory animals (rats) on the viability and behavior of medicinal leeches Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 and Hirudo orientalis Utevsky & Trontelj, 2005. According to this, 8 groups of sexually mature animals were formed: 1 and 2 - human blood; 3, 4 - blood of a domestic pig; 5, 6 - blood of domestic chickens; 7, 8 - blood of a non-linear laboratory rat. As a result of the study, it was found that the blood of pigs and chickens is the most suitable for feeding the medical leech for normal life and behavior. Mortality of leeches was observed when feeding on rat and human blood. It should be noted that at the beginning of feeding animals with blood human. The percentage of cannibalism in animals increased.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Medicinal leeches are used for therapeutic purposes in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Because they have a large amount of biologically active substances in their body.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This study examined how blood from different sources—humans, domestic pigs, chickens, and laboratory rats—affects the viability and behavior of two medicinal leech species (Hirudo verbana and Hirudo orientalis), reporting that pig and chicken blood best supported normal leech life and behavior, while rat and human blood caused mortality, and human blood notably increased cannibalism among the leeches. These findings are directly relevant to hirudotherapy and ASH's domain because sustainable laboratory breeding of medicinal leeches is essential for maintaining a reliable supply of therapeutic specimens, and understanding which blood sources optimize leech health informs husbandry practices for breeding facilities. The study provides practical guidance for leech cultivation, which underpins the clinical availability of hirudotherapy. However, the relevance is limited to leech rearing conditions rather than therapeutic efficacy or clinical outcomes; the abstract provides minimal quantitative data on mortality rates or behavioral metrics, and the findings concern laboratory husbandry optimization rather than any aspect of leech therapy applied to patients.
Citation
The effect of blood human, domestic and small laboratory animals on the viability and behavior of the medicinal leech.
Aminov R · Annals of parasitology, 2023
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