Leeches

Leech’s “anesthetic and anticoagulant have yet to be bettered by science,” and it has been characterized by Roy Sawyer [founder of Biopharm] as a “living pharmacy” (George, 30). “Today leeches are frequently used in reattachment operations, skin grafts, and reconstructive plastic surgery, since they are so good at keeping the patient’s blood flowing in the damaged area, which helps the veins to knit together again. The active anticoagulant in leech saliva, a protein named hirudin, can be produced separately, and Biopharm [in Wales; George, 26-28] has isolated and resynthesized many other active and useful compounds from the medicinal leech and other species — including the terrifying giant Amazon leech, which is the length of your forearm and stabs its prey with a six-inch needle proboscis). . . . Perhaps even more surprisingly, leeches also relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis when applied to the knees, because of anti-inflammatory and other compounds in their saliva that are still not fully understood. The use of leeches has fewer side effects than the standard treatment of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and they are more effective in relieving pain and stiffness than the best topically applied medication” (Poole; cf. George, ch. 2).