ROLE OF LEECH THERAPY (HIRUDOTHERAPY) IN AYURVEDA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Rakesh Singh*, Devesh Shukla, U. N Pandey and Rajeev Kumar

ABSTRACT

Leech therapy or Hirudotherapy was a prevalent sort of therapy in various ailments. The famous novel Ayurveda text Sushruta Samhita devoted an entire chapter on hirudino therapy. Leech therapy are often correlated to Jaloukavacharana in Ayurveda, which is that the best tool of Raktamokshana curing many diseases like abscess, cysts, tumors and blood borne diseases. It is a parasurgical procedure which may be applied in children, delicate people, ladies, and in those that are scared of surgery. It is a safer and fewer complicated natural action consistent with Ayurvedic documents. Leech has also been widely applied in neurophysiological and developmental genetic studies and thought of together of the simplest laboratory model organisms for toxicological, physiological, biochemical and histological studies. Leeches suck the surplus blood, reduce the swelling within the tissues, and promote healing by allowing fresh oxygenated blood to succeed in the world until normal circulation are often restored. This text elaborates the indications, contraindications, sorts of leeches, procedures of leech therapy and throws light on the mechanism of action of leech. This paper summarizes the varied aspects of the role of Hirudo medicinalis therapy in Ayurveda.

Keywords: Hirudotherapy, Sushruta Samhita, Ayurveda, Raktamokshana.