When I visited the garden market outside the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü, I noticed several big jars filled with leeches for sale. The jars were half-filled with water, and inside a huge number of black leeches were climbing and swimming. Fascinating!!
The use of leeches for medicinal purposes is called hirudotherapy. The blood-sucking leeches are used in traditional medicine (for example to relieve inflammations, and to correct supposed "imbalances" in the body) - but leeches are also used to some extent in modern medicine. (To reduce blood coagulation, stimulate circulation etc - the leeches' saliva contains a peptide called hirudin, which is a very effective anticoagulant, and also a vasodilator which causes the blood vessels near the leech to become dilated)
The leeches used are of the species called Hirudo medicinalis - these leeches are actually farmed in Turkey, and exported in quite large numbers. I didn't see anyone buying leeches - I would've liked to ask them what they were planning on using them for! (Hey, I'm a medical student, I find these things interesting...;o)
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on Nov 28, 2006
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