The therapeutic effect of leeches is determined by the properties of the secretion of the salivary glands, which enters the human body after biting the leech skin, and continues to flow throughout the whole blood-sucking period.
The secret is an inhibitor of platelet-vascular hemostasis. It blocks the general adhesion and primary attachment of platelets to the surface of the collagen, which is exposed when the vascular wall is damaged. The secret blocks the aggregation of platelets.
The secret of leeches inhibits the initial stages of the activation cascade of proteins of the blood coagulation system by blocking the callicrene of plasma by Hageman factor. These secretion properties determine the protective antithrombotic effect of hirudotherapy
The secretions of dystabolism and leech "prostanoids" cause a thrombolytic effect when using medical leeches. Destabilase hydrolyses isopeptide bonds. The action of destabilase determines previously unknown mechanisms of fibrinolysis - isopeptidolysis. Secreted compounds of the prostanoid nature, which, like stable prostacyclin analogues, inhibit platelet aggregation and stimulate the secretion of the tissue plasminogen activator from the vascular wall.
Systematically conducted hirudotherapy reduces the severity of atherosclerosis. The property of the secretion of the salivary glands of medical leeches has been shown to reduce the proliferative capacity of smooth muscle cells of intima of large human vessels affected by atherosclerosis and induce hydrolysis of glycyrin-triolate and cholesterol-oleate.
The anti-inflammatory effect of the leech secret is due to its ability to block the amylolytic and kininogenase activity of human plasma kallikrein. It blocks the formation of kinins, which are mediators of inflammation.In addition, kininases found in secret, reduce the activity of bradykinin, stimulating pain, thus providing an analgesic effect.
The enzyme apyrase, which cleaves the phosphoric acid residue from ATP, has an anti-inflammatory effect in the development of inflammations stimulated by ATP. An essential anti-inflammatory effect is possessed by euglins, elastase inhibitors and cathepsin G of human granulocytes.
The secret of the salivary glands of medical leeches has a pronounced bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect, which is determined by a symbiotic bacterium that lives in the intestinal canal of a leech.
Contained in the secret of leeches hyaluronidase changes the permeability of tissues, the degree of their hydration, accelerates the transport of water and ions, facilitates the penetration of biologically active secret substances into the body during hirudotherapy. Increased permeability of tissues and capillary walls is achieved by depolymerization and cleavage of hyaluronic acid, one of the components of the basic substance of connective tissue.
Biologically active leech secret compounds ensure the successful use of hirudotherapy to normalize microcirculation and "engraftment"autotransplant in reconstructive surgery. Contained in secret collagenase provides resorption of scar tissue.
The secret of medical leeches has a general nonspecific effect on the human body, as evidenced by an increase in the phagocytic activity of blood neutrophils due to the interaction of the secret to the complement system.