Another study traced the historical use of medicinal leeches and their salivary products, such as hirudin, which is known for its powerful anticoagulant effects. The research emphasizes the ...

The clinical utility of subcutaneous hirudins is discussed. The term "hirudins" refers to a class of antithrombotic agents structurally derived from the medicinal leech salivary protein hirudin.

But leeches aren’t just useful at crime scenes. These creatures’ sanguineous appetites have also come in handy for scientists, who are hoping to use them to solve another mystery: the diversity of ...