WHAT IS NEED TO BE KNOWN ABOUT MEDICINAL LEECHES AND HIRUDOTHERAPY? : A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 1 Sayı: 3, 23 - 36, 31.12.2022

Fatma Becanım Salih Adil Berktaş , Mustafa Ceylan

Öz

Since ancient times humans have used a variety of plants and animals to both prevent and treat ailments.
Hirudotherapy is a traditional treatment modality using medicinal leeches. In both traditional and modern
medicine, medicinal leeches have been important in the treatment of eczema, chronic ulcers, psoriasis,
osteoarthritis, thrombosis, and hypertension. Hirudotherapy is a trustworthy, easy‐to‐use, helpful, and
affordable treatment option for draining blood from deeper tissues in localized venous congestion related
with surgical replantations and flap reconstructions. Hirudotherapy has also been commonly used to treat
soft tissue oedema and haematomas in trauma situations. Throughout the feeding process, leeches secrete
biologically and pharmacologically active components into the wound. This article aims to present a broad
assessment of the potential use of hirudotherapy, indications, contraindications, and therapy-related
complications. Providing detailed evidence-based information about the usage areas of hirudotherapy will
help spread healthy medicinal leech practices and prevent possible complications, thus infectious diseases
and public health problems.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Medicinal leech, hirudotherapy, indication, contraindication, complication, Medicinal leech, hirudotherapy, indication, contraindication, complication