Efficiency of medical leech on experimentally induced incisional wound healing in rats
Research article published in Journal of complementary & integrative medicine (2025)
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted in response to the increasing interest in understanding the effects of both modern and traditional complementary medicine on incisional wound healing. Herein, it was aimed to investigate the wound healing effects of medicinal leech therapy and leech saliva in an experimentally created incisional skin wound model. METHODS: Fifteen rats underwent full-thickness incisions on their dorsal regions and were randomly assigned to five equal groups, as the Leech Saliva (LS) group, where wounds were treated topically with leech saliva once daily; Leech Therapy-1 (LT-1) group, where leech therapy was administered once at the beginning of the experiment; Leech Therapy-2 (LT-2) group, where leech therapy was applied twice, on days 0 and 3; Positive Control (PC) group, where wounds were treated daily with Phyto cream containing Triticum vulgare; and Negative Control (NC) group, where no treatment was given. RESULTS: Wound healing was assessed daily, and the experiment continued until complete healing was observed. At the conclusion, the wound size, appearance, and histological features were analyzed to compare healing progress across the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Medicinal leech therapy was observed to have a positive wound healing effect in the rat model.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
This study was conducted in response to the increasing interest in understanding the effects of both modern and traditional complementary medicine on incisional wound healing.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este estudio experimental investigó los efectos sobre la cicatrización de heridas de la terapia con sanguijuelas medicinales y de la saliva de sanguijuela en un modelo de herida incisional en rata. Quince ratas con incisiones dorsales de espesor total fueron asignadas a cinco grupos: saliva de sanguijuela (tópica, una vez al día), terapia con sanguijuelas una vez, terapia con sanguijuelas dos veces (días 0 y 3), control positivo (crema de Triticum vulgare) y control negativo (sin tratamiento). El estudio concluyó que la terapia con sanguijuelas medicinales tuvo un efecto positivo sobre la cicatrización de heridas en el modelo de rata. Esto es directamente relevante para el dominio de ASH sobre la hirudoterapia, ya que examina la aplicación de sanguijuelas vivas y la saliva de sanguijuela para un resultado terapéutico de cicatrización de heridas. La advertencia clave es que se trata de un estudio en animales pequeños (quince ratas en total, tres por grupo) sin datos en humanos, y el resumen no aporta métricas cuantitativas de eficacia, lo que limita la generalización a la práctica clínica.
Citación
Efficiency of medical leech on experimentally induced incisional wound healing in rats
Bilden A et al. · Journal of complementary & integrative medicine, 2025
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: 18 de junio de 2026