Salivary lipid profiles of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis).

Saliva was collected from sixteen leeches (Hirudo medicinalis). The saliva was analyzed for its total lipid content (3.26 +/- 0.31 mg of total lipids per 100 mL saliva). The lipids were separated into polar and nonpolar by chromatographic techniques. The neutral fraction was approximately 2/3 of the total, and the polar fraction was approximately 1/3 of the total lipids. Thin-layer chromatography was used to obtain the individual profiles of the polar and nonpolar lipids. Of the identified lipids, phosphatidic acids and free fatty acids represented the largest percentage. These results suggest that the leech contains a unique lipid distribution, and that some of these components may be potent phospholipases and lipases that probably are present in its saliva for the purpose of preventing plugging or healing of the wound in the attacked organism.