Leeches: Bloodsuckers, Life-and-Limb-Savers. This paper discusses leeches as life-and-limb-savers. Blood clotting is a life-saving body process, but when it endangers life or prevents the resolution of a torn tissue, leeches can come in handy. They have shown their worth as natural blood thinners, painkillers and surgical scavengers with the anticoagulant and anesthetic properties of their saliva. These saliva components hold much promise for the "treatment of cardiological and hematological disorders." Today, the Hirudo Medicinalis species of leech is a reliable last resort when something is needed to overcome the clotting mechanism, something that thins the blood or decongest clots. Using its two suckers to feed and to hang itself, the leech secretes Hirudin, an anti-coagulant and anesthetic, while it sucks blood from the host. When it has sucked enough, it just falls off from the host and leaves blood oozing fresh from its bite wound. Although this may sound horrible sometimes it makes a difference between life and death. Pages: 5 Bibliography: 15 source(s) listed Filename: 43 Leeches Bloodsuckers Savers.doc Price: 44.75

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