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چکیده
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Bloodletting and the therapeutic use of medicinal leeches date back to ancient Egypt. The popularity of the leech therapy has varied throughout the history depending on the incumbent beliefs of the medical hierarchy. The leech has been used periods when it has been in favour but also periods during which it has been abandoned and even the subject of denigration. In recent years, leeches have grown in popularity once again for use in bloodletting and hirudotherapy gained acceptance in modern clinical medicine. Overexploitation resulted in decreasing of natural resources. Therefore, hirudiculture is necessary to prevent from species extinction, permanent availability for leech therapy, and to prevent from transmission of infectious diseases. For the purpose of optimizing the leech farming of Iranian medicinal leech (H. orientalis), the effect of heparin use during the blood feeding of leeches was investigated. In order to examine the effect of light on the leech reproduction, three light conditions were used, namely the pool exposing to natural light, the hall with artificial light, and the dark room. In order to study the influence of the type of cocoon laying medium, the moss and peat media were investigated and compared. The results of this study showed that the use of heparin during blood feeding of breeding leeches has negative effects on the number and weight of hatchling leeches and increases the blood regurgitation and mortality after nutrition. Leeches prefer peat to moss for cocoon laying. The number and size of cocoons and the mean number and weight of hatchlings per cocoon in peat medium are greater than moss medium; therefore, using peat will increase the efficiency and economic profitability and will also reduce water consumption. The survival rate was not significantly different in the peat and water media, so peat medium can be used to water saving.
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