Medical leech therapy in Ayurveda and biomedicine - A review
Review article published in Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine (2020)
Abstract
Medicinal leech therapy or Hirudino therapy have roots back in ancient civilization. It was a prevalent form of therapy in various ailments. The novel Ayurveda text Sushruta Samhita devoted a complete chapter on hirudino therapy. In the early 20th century this therapy had a major setback due to origin and evolution of antibiotics. There was a discontinuity in the flow of knowledge about this therapy. Then, resumed and revived after few recent decades, due to its contribution in reconstructive surgeries. During this period, the research work on various aspects have been conducted. The present paper summarizes the various aspects of medicinal leech therapy both from Ayurveda text and the present knowledge and to enable the fraternity to use the both source for benefits of humankind.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
This review traces medicinal leech therapy from ancient practice through the Sushruta Samhita and its twentieth-century decline after antibiotics, to revival in reconstructive surgery, summarizing Ayurvedic and biomedical knowledge of the therapy.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This review summarizes medicinal leech therapy (hirudinotherapy) from both classical Ayurveda—particularly the Sushruta Samhita, which devotes a dedicated chapter to the practice—and modern biomedical perspectives, tracing its historical use, decline with the rise of antibiotics, and contemporary revival in reconstructive surgery. The review attempts to bridge traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with current biomedical understanding to encourage integrated use for patient benefit. However, as a review, it presents no new primary data, clinical outcomes, or mechanistic analyses of leech salivary components. The abstract does not indicate a systematic methodology or critical appraisal of sources, and its contribution is primarily historical and conceptual rather than providing quantitative evidence on efficacy or the molecular basis of leech therapy.
Citation
Added to ASH library: March 18, 2026 · Site last updated: November 1, 2026