The possible impacts of alternative and conventional medicines on wound healing are now of growing interest. This study aimed to evaluate and elucidate the wound healing activity of medicinal
leech therapy in
wound excision of the rat model. After a round, full-thickness excision was made in the dorsal region of the body, the animals (n = 30) were randomly divided into three equal groups: I) the treatment group (MLT), where the
wounds received leech treatment; II) the positive control group (PC), where the
wounds received 1%
sodium phenytoin treatment; and III) the negative control group (NC), where the
wounds did not receive any treatment. On days 6 and 16,
wound biopsy specimens were taken, and prepared sections were stained using various methods. The contraction rate differed significantly (P < 0.05) between the NC group and the other groups. The histopathological evaluation revealed that MLT group showed an accelerated healing process and lower inflammatory response compared to other groups. In ML-treated group maturation and remodeling of
collagen had occurred, while in 1%
sodium phenytoin treated group, proliferation was the prominent feature. Results showed that the fibroblast was significantly lower in the NC group in comparison to other groups. The number of MNC, s, and PMN, s was significantly higher in the NC group compared to other groups (P < 0.0001). In our study, medicinal
leech therapy had a higher success rate in healing for the treatment of excisional
wounds in animal models.