Therapeutic Potentials of Medicinal Leech in Chinese Medicine
Wu S, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Zhang Z (2024) · The American Journal of Chinese Medicine · n=0
Perfil del estudio
- Diseño
- narrative review of medicinal-leech use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with focus on Whitmania pigra (non-hematophagous), Hirudo nipponia, and Hirudinaria manillensis; Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, China
- Tamaño de la muestra (n)
- —
- Intervención
- Synthesis of Chinese pharmacopeia leech species used orally and topically in TCM formulations for anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and antitumor indications; bioactive constituent profile
- Comparador
- Not applicable — narrative review
- Punto final primario
- Synthesis of TCM evidence base and bioactive-constituent characterization of Chinese medicinal-leech species
- Resultado primario
- Authors synthesize TCM use of Whitmania pigra, Hirudo nipponia, and Hirudinaria manillensis; categorize bioactive constituents into coagulation-system-targeting (hirudin, heparin, histamine) and protease-inhibitor (Decorsin, Hementin) groups; identify hirudin as the most potent salivary-gland thrombin inhibitor; note expanded TCM applications in anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and antitumor contexts
- Duración del seguimiento
- Not applicable — review
- PMID
- 38879745
Hallazgos clave
- Chinese Pharmacopeia recognizes Whitmania pigra (non-hematophagous), Hirudo nipponia, and Hirudinaria manillensis as medicinal leeches
- Bioactives stratified into coagulation-system targets (hirudin family, heparin, histamine) and protease-inhibitor groups (Decorsin, Hementin)
- Hirudin remains the most potent salivary-gland thrombin inhibitor
- TCM applications cited in anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and antitumor contexts
- Cross-regulatory species context valuable for global hirudotherapy literature
Limitaciones
- Narrative review without systematic search or quality grading
- TCM clinical evidence reviewed is mostly from regional Chinese-language sources
- Many cited mechanisms are preclinical or in-vitro
- Direct translation to US K040187 clinical practice not appropriate
- Antitumor and broad therapeutic claims insufficiently supported by RCT-level evidence
Implicaciones clínicas
Wu 2024 serves as a regulatory and species-comparative reference for ASH's understanding of how non-Hirudo-medicinalis species (especially Whitmania pigra and Hirudinaria manillensis) are used in Chinese medicine. For US clinicians under K040187, the review does not change practice but provides important historical and pharmacognosy context. The review usefully complements ASH's existing entries on H. nipponia (Lu 2018), Whitmania pigra hirudins (Müller 2022), and the broader hirudin-family literature.
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