G. USE OF LEECHES IN MEDICINE
USE OF LEECHES IN MEDICINE
Currently, leeches are used to assist in the treatment of e.g., cardiovascular diseases, thromboses, hematomas, thrombophlebitis, abscesses, chronic wounds, arthritis, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, neurological and ophthalmological disorders [6,16,17]. Leeches should be purchased from recognized leech producing companies, where they are kept in appropriate farms and fed artificially with animal blood. In addition, leeches purchased from recognized leech farms are sufficiently starved prior to being sold and some of the leech farms have been approved by regulatory agencies. Leeches, which were collected from a natural environment, should not be used for hirudotherapy.