What is hirudotherapy?
Nowadays biotherapies, therapies using living organisms to treat diseases, are very popular all over the world. Hirudotherapy is one of them. It is based on applying medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) and their ability to produce so-called hirudosubstances, potent medical substances, to treat health problems.
Nowadays, hirudotheraphy is a well-established field of medicine (International Classification of Diseases ICD 99.991). In many European countries (the UK, Germany, France) and in USA leeches treatment is refundable, what makes it a significant branch of conventional medicine.
Only leeches bred in isolated laboratory conditions are used in a hirudotherapy. Leeches are kept without contact with an outside environment and are fed in a controlled manner, for patient’s safety. After use, leeches are destroyed by placing them in 70% alcohol liquid.