BACHOK: Protein extracted from the saliva of local buffalo leech (Hirudinaria manillensis) has the potential for use as an anticoagulant in the medical industry, a study has found.
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Faculty of Agro-Based Industry senior lecturer Dr Zulhisyam Abdul Kari said the protein contains hirudin, a substance with properties similar to heparin, which is used in modern medicine to delay blood clotting.
“Laboratory tests prove that leech protein extract is capable of delaying blood clotting, comparable to other anticoagulants,” he told Bernama recently.
He said buffalo leeches were chosen as the main subject of the three-year study because the quantity of saliva and quality of protein they produce are significantly higher than those of land leeches (pacat), although both belong to the same family.
Zulhisyam said leech-based treatments, including leech therapy, had long been used to address various health conditions, including gout and acne, as well as to assist in the healing of chronic wounds in diabetic patients.
“Leeches from the Asian region are recognised as among the highest quality in the world, to the extent that developed countries such as Germany utilise them extensively as a pre-heart surgery treatment to help ensure smooth blood flow,” he said.
He added that neighbouring countries like Thailand have also imported leeches from Malaysia to meet demand in their medical markets.
However, Zulhisyam said Malaysia’s leech farming industry had declined sharply compared with previous years when it expanded through contract farming schemes.
“This stems from fraud issues that undermined the confidence of local investors and industry players,” he said.
He said the situation had been compounded by a significant decline in the leech population in natural habitats such as padi fields, with uncontrolled use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
As part of conservation efforts, Zulhisyam said the management and control of leeches in Malaysia had been placed entirely under the Fisheries Department since 2011, transferring from the Wildlife and National Parks Department.
He urged the public to view leeches as a valuable natural resource that should be preserved for future scientific and biotechnology applications, noting that every living organism plays an important role in the ecosystem.
