Medicinal leech therapy-an overall perspective

Complementary medicine methods have a long history, but modern medicine has just recently focused on their possible modes of action. Medicinal leech therapy (MLT) or hirudotherapy, an old technique, has been studied by many researchers for possible effects on various diseases such as inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, and after different surgeries. Hirudo medicinalis has widest therapeutic usage among the leeches, but worldwide, many different species were tested and studied. Leeches secrete more than 20 identified bioactive substances such as antistasin, eglins, guamerin, hirudin, saratin, bdellins, complement, and carboxypeptidase inhibitors. They have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, platelet inhibitory, anticoagulant, and thrombin regulatory functions, as well as extracellular matrix degradative and antimicrobial effects, but with further studies, the spectrum of effects may widen. The technique is cheap, effective, easy to apply, and its modes of action have been elucidated for certain diseases. In conclusion, for treatment of some diseases, MLT is not an alternative, but is a complementary and/or integrative choice. MLT is a part of multidisciplinary treatments, and secretes various bioactive substances. These substances vary among species and different species should be evaluated for both treatment capability and their particular secreted molecules. There is huge potential for novel substances and these could be future therapeutics.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Complementary medicine methods have a long history, but modern medicine has just recently focused on their possible modes of action. Medicinal leech therapy (MLT) or hirudotherapy, an old technique, has been studied by many researchers for possible effects on various diseases such as inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, and after different sur...

Explore how this research connects to clinical practice

More peer-reviewed studies in Clinical Trials.

• Leech Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis — The Landmark RCT — Michalsen et al. (2003)
• Leech-Assisted Flap Salvage — Systematic Review of 277 Cases — Whitaker et al. (2012)
• Institutional Outcomes in Leech-Assisted Microsurgery — 87 Patients — Cornejo A et al. (2017)
• Leech Therapy for Knee OA — Confirmatory RCT — Andereya S et al. (2008)
• Leech Therapy for OA — Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — Lauche R et al. (2014)
• Leech Therapy for Thumb Osteoarthritis — RCT — Michalsen A et al. (2008)
• BRIGHT-4 Trial — Bivalirudin vs Heparin by BMI — BRIGHT-4 Investigators (2025)
• Aeromonas hydrophila Infections Following Leech Use in Flap Surgery — Lineaweaver WC et al. (1992)
• Leech Therapy for Lateral Epicondylitis — RCT — Michalsen A et al. (2014)
• Leech Therapy in Flap Salvage — Timing and Practical Recommendations — Herlin C et al. (2017)