BIOCHEMICAL, ANTIBIOTIC AND ANTICOAGULANT PROPERTIES OF LOCAL NIGERIAN LEECH (Hirudo medicinalis) SALIVA EXTRACT

Abstract

Leech ability to overcome blood clotting while sucking, keeping it in a liquid state for a long period of storage in their crops and displace antibacterial activities had attracted the attention of traditional therapists, physicians and researchers as an effective remedy for diseases management especially antibiotic and coagulation disorders. Biochemical screening of Leech saliva Extract (LSE) showed positive reactions on Alkaloids, Balsams, Flavonoids, Saponins, reducing Sugar and Cardiac Glycosides, while Steroids, Anthraquinones, and Tennins were negative in chemical constituent screening. The antimicrobial activity of LSE tested against several bacterial species using dilution method showed that it has a minimal inhibition Concentration (MIC) activity against Strepy pyoge (360 μg/ml), S. aureus (3600 μg/ml), E .coli (360 μg/ml), P. aeruginosa (360 μg/ml), and B. subtilis (360 μg/ml). Minimal bacteria concentration (MBC) against B. subtilis, S. aureus, Strepy pyogen, P. aeruginosa and E. coli are 0.36mg, 3.6mg, 0.36mg, 0.36mg, and 0.36mg respectively. The anticoagulant activity revealed that local Nigeria Leech saliva has anticoagulant properties with thrombin time that ranged from 7 – 53 minutes at different concentrations. This work is likely to be the first work carried out on Biochemical, Antibiotic and Anticoagulant using local Nigeria Leech saliva extract.