Treatment of hypertension
PC-LS is the most important factor in leech salivary secretion, which is responsible for regulating blood pressure. It is a low-molecular-weight substance bound to destabilise by polypeptide chain. Its properties are similar to those of prostacyclin (tissue hormone produced by the walls of blood vessels). Studies have shown that this substance causes secretion of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), which plays a role in cell migration and tissue remodeling. PC-LS is a typical regulator of blood pressure, lowers blood pressure when it is too high and increases it when it is too low. In addition, histamine present in leech salivary secretion participates in lowering blood pressure through vasodilation.
