علاج الصدفية بالعلق الطبي

Abstract

The medicinal leech is an invertebrate organism that belongs to the phylum Annelida. It is characterized by its flexible body, segmented into symmetrical rings, which gives it a unique ability to move and attach. This organism lives in moist environments such as swamps and feeds on blood thanks to two strong suckers that help it adhere to the skin and extract blood. During this process, it secretes saliva rich in biologically active substances, most notably "hirudin" and "eglins," which possess anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. This has given the leech significant medical importance and it has been used since ancient times to treat many diseases, especially chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease resulting from immune system disorders that lead to an abnormal acceleration in the growth of keratinocyte skin cells. Studies have shown that the medicinal leech effectively contributes to improving blood circulation in affected areas, helps regenerate tissue, and regulates immune system activity, which positively reflects on the appearance of the skin and alleviates the severity of symptoms. The applied study we conducted on a female patient with psoriasis showed promising results, as a noticeable improvement was observed from the first treatment session. Despite these benefits, the use of medicinal leeches is advised against in cases of severe anemia, due to their reliance on blood extraction during therapy.