Medicinal leeches, also known as Hirudo Medicinalis or Shui Zhi in Pinyin, can be used as a Chinese herb after they are dried and processed. That’s to say, clinically this aquatic animal is commonly used for treating stroke, hypertension, blood stasis, amenorrhea, bruises and other ailments. Medical leech contains hirudin, which can delay and impede blood clotting, namely anti-clotting effect. In recent years, its preparations have been discovered with special effect on prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the past most of medicinal leeches used to be fished in the wild but now it is mainly grown in farm with the decreasing natural resources due to pollution of the environment. This small animal is quite annoying since it can stick on you and suck your blood. However, its medical uses are enormous. So, do you know what are leeches used for in medicine? How are leeches used in medicine?

MEDICINAL LEECH BENEFITS 
1,500 years ago, the Egyptians pioneered the practice of bloodletting with medicinal leeches. In the beginning of the last century, the Europeans were more superstitious and believed that medicinal leech could suck the sick blood from the body so that they turned to medicinal leech therapy no matter what diseases they suffered from. Later this superstitious belief was gradually abandoned with the development of modern medicine.

In recent years the new use of leeches in medicine is getting more and more attention since its salivary glands have been found with anticoagulant hirudin and histamine-like substance that can dilate the blood vessels. As a result, plastic surgeons use medical grade leeches to eliminate blood stasis in vascular occlusion zone after the surgery. By doing so, it can reduce necrosis and thereby improve the success rate of breast tissue transplantation and breast augmentation. What’s more, leeches in modern medicine can greatly improve the success rate of replanting or transplanting fingers, toes, ears, nose, etc. by sucking blood to smooth the vein.

Medicinal Leeches

MEDICINAL LEECH REMEDIES
The Chinese Materia Medica says that medicinal leeches are salty and bitter in flavor and neutral and toxic in nature. It covers liver meridian. Essential functions are breaking-blood to expel stasis and stimulating the menstrual flow to eliminate abdominal mass. Main medicinal leeches uses and indications include Amenorrhea due to blood stasis, gynecological mass in abdomen, and bruises.

1) Di Dang Tang from Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer). It is formulated with Meng Chong (Gadfly), Tao Ren (Peach Seed), and Da Huang (rhubarb) to treat light menstrual blood flow in women or full bladder due to blood stasis.

2) Tao Ren Wan from Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang (Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief). It is combined with Peach Seed, Gadfly, and rhubarb to cure stasis-induced short or scanty periods and fullness in heart and abdomen.

3) Di Huang Tong Jing Wan from Fu Ren Liang Fang (Fine Formulas for Women). It is matched with Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia Root), Gadfly, and Peach Seed to heal delayed menstruation, an excessive flow of lochia after delivery, and pain in navel or abdomen.