Natural Hirudin

As the most potent natural anticoagulant known up to now, natural hirudin has been proved to exert a strong inhibition on the thrombin. It is extracted in the salivary glands of the leech Hirudinaria manillensis as the biological active material which composed of 65-66 amino alids a low-molecular-weight polypeptide. It can prevent the forming of arterial thrombosis after surgical operation, improve the blood circulation and haemodialysis, cicatrize the wound. In addition, hirudin has effect in lowering blood pressure and blood fat, expanding blood vessel.

Biology

Leeches are annelids or segmented worms, and although closely related to the earthworms, are anatomically and behaviourally more specialised.

The bodies of all leeches are divided into the same number of segments (34), with a powerful clinging sucker at each end (although the anterior, or front sucker can be very small). Body shape is variable, but to some extent depends on the degree to which their highly muscular bodies are contracted. The mouth is in the anterior sucker and the anus is on the dorsal surface (top) just in front of the rear sucker.

Leeches usually have three jaws and make a Y-shaped incision. The Australian land leech has only two jaws and makes a V-shaped incision. Australian leeches can vary in size from about 7 mm long to as much as 200 mm when extended.