Medicinal leech therapy in venous congestion and various ulcer forms: Perspectives of Western, Persian and Indian medicine
Case series published in Journal of traditional and complementary medicine (2020)
Abstract
The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmacological principles, application procedures, or efficacy and safety of the broad range of therapeutic indications. This review is focused on the information gap between Eastern and Western medicine when medicinal leech therapy is used in wound healing. Impaired wound healing has serious consequences for patients' health in a variety of clinical conditions. Western, Persian and Indian medicine seem to apply different therapeutic approaches when using medicinal leech therapy for healing wounds. A range of review articles, single case reports and case series on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing have been inspected. The various reports indicate that medicinal leech therapy has potential benefits for patients experiencing venous congestion of the skin and tissues, as well as varied types of ulcers. Such therapy is proven to have thrombolytic, anti-coagulant, blood and lymph enhancing, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. The specifics of these approaches are expected to stimulate further research on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing. Although the use of medicinal leech therapy to relieve venous congestion following reconstructive and plastic surgery is well-known in Western medicine, its use in promoting wound healing in various ulcer forms, in the context of Ayurveda/Unani/Persian medicine, seems largely restricted to Asian- and Arabic spheres. The true value of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing should be elucidated by further investigations applying modern, evidence-based research methods.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmacological principles, application procedures, or efficacy and safety of the broad range of therapeutic indications.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This review examined medicinal leech therapy (MLT) for wound healing across Western, Persian, and Indian medical traditions, synthesizing published reports — including review articles, single case reports, and case series — on its use for venous congestion and various ulcer forms. It is directly relevant to ASH's domain, as it highlights the pharmacological basis of leech therapy — thrombolytic, anticoagulant, blood- and lymph-enhancing, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects — and maps how different cultural traditions apply these principles in clinical wound management. The review identifies a persistent information gap between Eastern and Western practices and explicitly calls for modern, evidence-based investigations to determine MLT's true therapeutic value. As a review drawing on case reports and case series, it presents no new original data or quantitative outcomes, and its conclusions about therapeutic benefits remain preliminary pending rigorously designed controlled studies.
Citation
Medicinal leech therapy in venous congestion and various ulcer forms: Perspectives of Western, Persian and Indian medicine.
Koeppen D et al. · Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 2020
Added to ASH library: March 18, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026