History of leech therapy
Hirudotherapy, which means treatment with leeches, has been used as a treatment tool by physicians since ancient times. The first sources about leech therapy date back to BC. It goes back to the Babylonian physicians who lived in the 15th century. Again BC. It is known that it was among the indispensable treatment methods of Egyptian physicians in the 3rd century. Also BC. Nikandros, a physician who lived on the Aegean coast in the 2nd century AD. Greek physician Pliniy in the 1st century and AD. Galen, who lived in the 2nd century, used leech therapy. Leech therapy also took its place in Ibn Sina's books. However, humanity, which turned away from nature in the 20th century, forgot about leech therapy. The medical use of leeches has been remembered again today, when American researcher Roy Sawyer revealed the potential therapeutic effects of leeches and established the world's first modern leech production farm (Biopharm - England).
Leech Therapy in the World
Today, leech therapy is described as a "unique" treatment method in terms of its biological effects. There are more than 300 Hirudotherapy Clinics in Germany. Hirudo Medicinalis is accepted as a medicine in accordance with the 1st paragraph of Article 2 of the German Medical Drugs Act (TIC). With the 4th article added later, it was defined as a ready-made medical drug. The difference between this medicine and the medicine injected into the syringe is that "this medicine is not given by us in the form of injection, but by the mouth of the living creature called Hirudo Medicinalis". Europe alone uses 100 million leeches annually. The association founded by physicians who practice leech therapy in America has more than 1000 members, and in 2004, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accredited leech therapy and allowed it to be sold in pharmacies, as in Europe.
Characteristics of leeches
Leeches belong to the phylum Annelida, which has more than 15,000 species. Most of them are ectoparasites, creatures that feed by sucking blood. More than 650 species of these are in the Hirudinea class. This class generally includes sea, freshwater and land leeches. Not all leeches are bloodsuckers. Some species include invertebrates, members of other classes of Annelida, snails They eat grasses and insect larvae. Bloodsuckers live as ectoparasites on fish, frogs, turtles, snails, shelled aquatic creatures and vertebrate animals. Although almost every group of vertebrates can be hosts, fish are the group most attacked. Similar to mosquitoes, they begin to suck blood by incising the skin with their sharp teeth on the three jaws in their mouths, without causing pain, and they release various mediators (local anesthetics, histamine-like vasodilators, anticoagulants, spreading factors, antibiotics, etc.) in their saliva into this area.< There are several species of leeches that have therapeutic properties in diseases; H. medicinalis and Hirudo verbana are among them. These leeches are called "medical leeches". There are several species of medicinal leeches, and it is known that H. medicinalis and H. verbana live in Turkey. The anatomy of leeches is remarkably unique. The body is typically dorso-ventrally flattened. The segments have transformed into attractors anteriorly and posteriorly. The anterior sucker is generally smaller than the posterior sucker, and the three-jaw mouth is surrounded by the sucker. There are 50-100 teeth arranged in a row in the jaws. The posterior sucker is formed by the union of eight segments, is disc-shaped and faces ventrally, and helps in adhesion and movement. Their body always consists of a fixed number of 34 segments. The mouth of the leech is at the front end, either at the bottom of a drawstring or under a spoon-shaped upper lip.
The body of the leech is surrounded by a thin and flat cover that can appear in various colors. The back of H. medicinalis is a dusky-olive color and has six more or less distinct longitudinal reddish-yellow stripes. The edges are light olive in color. There is a solid black stripe on each side of the abdomen. A type of bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila, is found in the digestive tract flora of H. medicinalis. It is reported that this extracellular symbiont helps digestion of absorbed blood, kills other bacteria with the antibiotics it produces, and has some other benefits. H. medicinalis is 10-15 cm long and consists of 34 segments. Its weight is 3-6.5 g. It absorbs blood 3-10 times its body weight. As body weight increases, the amount of blood it absorbs also increases. It can survive without feeding for up to a year.
In a study, the average time it takes to suck blood from a human is 68±26 minutes; The body weight increased by sucked blood was found to be 460%, and it was reported that this species contains more antithrombic unit hirudin than crude extracts of some other leech species (e.g. Macrobdella decora). Most leeches, which are hermaphrodites, live for about a year. Leeches hatch in the spring and mature the following year. Life cycle depends on feeding habits and living environment. H. medicinalis lives longer than other species. Although some leeches live in the seas, most aquatic species live in fresh waters such as ponds, lakes and gently flowing streams with shallow vegetation. Although leeches are spread all over the world (from polar oceans to water sources in deserts), they are mostly found in temperate lake and pool waters. Most of the North American slug fauna is similar to that of Europe. Our country is one of the richest places in the world in terms of leech species. H. medicinalis and H. verbana are commonly found in our country and region. Leeches have a sense of smell and taste. There are no organs of vision or hearing. Thermoreceptor, baroreceptor systems and sonar equipment are available.
Hirudo Medicinalis and Hirudo Verbana species of leeches, which have therapeutic properties in diseases, are called "Medical Leeches".
Medical Effects of Leeches
– Phlebotomy (intervention in a vein to destroy the clot inside)
– Reflex Stimulation
– Bioactive Secretion Content
Leech injects the secretion they produce into the body while sucking blood. They give. This secretion contains nearly 100 bioactive substances that have been isolated so far. While some of these substances prevent blood clotting, some dissolve clots, some have pain-relieving properties, and some balance blood pressure. Additionally, the antidepressant, antibacterial and antioxidant effectiveness of leech therapy has been demonstrated by studies.
– Antibacterial
– Analgesic
– Antirheumatic
– Antihypertensive (anti-high blood pressure)
– Antidepressant
– Myorelaxant (muscle relaxant)
– Antioxidant
– Neurotrophic fik (nerve cell regenerator)
Bioactive Secretory Content of Leech:
– Hirudin: Anticoagulant
– Hementin: Fibrinolytic
– Hementerin : Fibrinolytic
– Ghilanten: Prothrombinase Inh.
– Anti-statin: Prothrombinase Inh.
– Pyathin: Neurotrophic
– Calin: Tr. Agg. Inh.
– Decorsin: Tr. Agg. Inh.
– Destabilase: F It is successfully used in vascular problems such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, deep vein thrombosis and peripheral artery occlusions, in skeletal system diseases such as arthrosis and arthritis, in many skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, and in almost impossible-to-treat eye diseases such as glaucoma and retinal artery occlusion.
– Some Eye Diseases (Vessel, nerve, macula and retina diseases of the eye such as Behçet's disease, Uveitis, Glaucoma, Maculopathies, Macular degeneration, Diabetic retinopathies, Hypertensive retinopathies, Retinitis pigmentosa, Optic nerve problems and Optic atrophy)< br /> – Varicose veins and venous vascular problems
– Rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases
– Arthrosis and joint calcifications
– Migraine and tension headaches
– Dizziness, tinnitus and Meniere's syndrome - All kinds of muscle aches, fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome such as ALS, PARKINSON...)
– Eczema, urticaria, chronic skin diseases, psoriasis and acne
– Chronic hepatitis and liver diseases
– Depression and phobias
– All immune system diseases and chronic fatigue syndrome
In Which Situations Should Leech Therapy Not Be Applied?
One of the points that should be taken into consideration in the application of leech therapy is the patient's anemia (anemia). ) problem, not using blood thinners, not having a disease that prevents clotting, and not having an active bleeding focus in the body. In addition, in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, uncontrolled diabetes or heart disease Leech therapy is not applied to patients with insufficiency.
– Bleeding Diatheses (such as Hemophilia)
– Presence of Active Bleeding Focus
– Severe Anemia (Hb < 10)
– Before Surgical Intervention
-Blood Thinning Drug Use
-Leech treatment is not applied in cases of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Which Parts of the Body Can Leech Be Applied to?
The following parts of the body Leech treatment can be applied to all areas except the areas; It is very dangerous to apply leeches to the following areas.
– Soft Skin Areas (such as around the eyelids)
– Keratinized Areas (such as palms, soles of the feet)
– Above Important Veins (Neck Leeches can be applied to any area other than the chin, armpit, groin etc.
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