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Hirudo medicinalis, or the European medicinal leech, is one of several species of leeches used as medicinal leeches. Other species of Hirudo sometimes also used as medicinal leeches include H. orientalis, H. troctina, and H. verbana. The Asian medicinal leech includes Hirudinaria manillensis, and the North American medicinal leech is ...
Hirudin is a naturally occurring peptide in the salivary glands of blood-sucking leeches (such as Hirudo medicinalis) that has a blood anticoagulant property. [2] This is essential for the leeches' habit of feeding on blood, since it keeps a host's blood flowing after the worm's initial puncture of the skin.
The Hirudiniformes are one of the currently-accepted suborders of the proboscisless leeches (Arhynchobdellida).Their best-known member is the European medical leech, Hirudo medicinalis, and indeed most of the blood-sucking "worms" as which leeches are generally perceived belong to this group.
The best-known species, such as the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, are hematophagous, attaching themselves to a host with a sucker and feeding on blood, having first secreted the peptide hirudin to prevent the blood from clotting.
While H. medicinalis has long been used in hirudotherapy, and is approved by the US FDA as a prescription medical device, a 2007 study employing genetic analysis found that the species being marketed as H. medicinalis, possibly for decades, was the recently distinguished H. verbana. [11]
Hirudinaria [1] is a genus of large Asian leeches belonging to the family Cylicobdellidae; [2] previously it was placed in the Hirudinidae. [3] [a] It includes species such as H. manillensis that may be called "Asian medicinal leeches", but together with the genus Poecilobdella, they are also described as Asian buffalo leeches.
Hirudinaria is the scientific name of two genera of organisms and may refer to: Hirudinaria (annelid) , a genus of leeches in the family Cylicobdellidae Hirudinaria (fungus) , a genus of fungi
European medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) [68] [69] 800 BCE Europe, Asia: bloodletting, surgery, therapy, research, saliva, pets Captive-bred 7b Annelida: Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) 700–500 BCE [44] Chile, Peru, Mexico: dye Very common in the wild 6b Other insects: Indian (Pavo cristatus) and green peafowl (P. muticus) 500 BCE ...