What are the medicinal values ​​of leeches?

Leeches are a common insect that have existed since ancient times and have been recorded in history books of traditional Chinese medicine. Leeches mostly grow in fields and are the easiest insects to grow in humid places. Although they are pests, they are very effective in treating bruises and injuries and in promoting blood circulation. Leeches have rich medicinal value. Although they are insects, they have great value to the human body.

Leeches, also known as "leeches". It has been recorded in the ancient Chinese book "Shennong Bencao Jing" and has high medicinal value. The dried whole body is used as medicine. It contains hirudin and protein, and has the effects of promoting blood circulation, dispersing blood stasis, and unblocking menstruation.

Clinically, it is mostly used for amenorrhea, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, traumatic injuries, pain due to blood stasis, and other diseases. In recent years, live leeches have been used to absorb postoperative blood stasis and unclog blood vessels; leeches have been combined with other blood-activating and detoxifying drugs to treat tumors; live leeches and pure honey have been added to make an injection, which can be injected through the conjunctiva to treat expansive senile cataracts in the early stages of corneal leukoplakia. More than 20 kinds of medicines have been developed, and it is one of the scarce Chinese medicinal materials.

The Chinese medicinal material leech, commonly known as leech, is the dried body of leeches, willow leaf leeches and leeches of the Hirudinidae family. In taxonomy, leeches belong to the class Hirudo of the phylum Annelida, and those with medical value belong to the order Gnathodonta, which is divided into several species of the family Hirudinidae and the phylum Hirudinidae.

Leeches have a long history of being used as medicine, and the pharmacological properties of leeches were recorded as early as in "Shennong's Herbal Classic". In traditional Chinese medicine, leeches are mainly dried and processed for use as medicine. They are mild in nature, salty and bitter in taste, and slightly toxic. It has the function of removing blood stasis and relieving menstruation, and is mainly used to treat blood stasis, amenorrhea, and accumulation of lumps and masses.

Leeches have rich medicinal value. In addition to preventing geriatric diseases, they are also very effective for cataracts, hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly. At the same time, this medicine can prevent keratitis. Although leeches are Chinese patent medicines, they should not be used too much. They should be used according to the professional prescriptions of professional doctors and under the advice of relevant professionals.