IN LAB CULTIVATION OF MEDICINAL LEECHES

Current day leech therapy may use only leeches that have been cultivated in isolated laboratories securing their complete separation with the outer environment. Additionally, they need to be fed in strictly controlled manner.

Over the last few years, EURO – BION company worked out and optimized a method for medicine leeches cultivation in isolated conditions. Thanks to major regulations of leeches reproduction cycle, we managed to detach our dependence on leeches biological clock. In laboratory conditions, leeches lay pupa few times a year. We also feed leeches in a controlled manner only. Initially, we would feed them with blood of animals that had been previously checked up by a vet. Nowadays, EURO-BION is at the stage of implementing a new method of feeding which is a blood replacing concoction HirudoCibum. This substance meets all of leeches’ needs. It guarantees their good health, size, proper breeding time and hirudo substances production. Once leeches approach the requested size, they don’t receive any more food whatsoever for the period of six months at the least. Afterwards, we move them to adequate magazine environment and have them ready to sell. EURO-BION staff carefully monitors all of the cultivation steps, beginning with birth until their readiness for sale.

Also, they are a subject of many safety rules which guarantee they are free of disease or bacteria.mWhen purchasing leeches grown in our cultivation lab, our clients may request a CERTIFICATE of their background information along with a guarantee they have not been exposed to any animal species or any animal based products. Only such strict cultivation procedure can assure a complete patient safety.

Unfortunately, a large number of medicinal leeches available at the market comes from illegal fIshing from natural environment or open water reservoirs, where the appropriate ratio of chemo- physical and microbiological conditions simply cannot be met. Those leeches nutrition comes from any animals’ blood that came close to the water (including those from tropical countries). They frequently carry various diseases as swine influenza or avian / bird influenza which brings a threat of different viral, bacterial or parasitic diseases as Mad Cow disease or lyme disease. They can also contribute to many chemical poisonings. We need to keep in mind that natural water reservoirs provide home to many malady spreading microorganisms. They may infect a leech body and therefore find a way to human bodies.