medicinal leech
medicinal leech, any of certain leech species (phylum Annelida), particularly Hirudo medicinalis, H. verbana, and H. orientalis, once used in the treatment of human diseases and used at present as a source of anticoagulants following certain surgical procedures. See leeching.
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
Citation Information
Article Title:
medicinal leech
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
20 February 2019
Access Date:
November 13, 2026