BeveLeech / Dg Ku Zubaidah Ag Majid ... [ et al. ]

By definition, agriculture is the art and science of crop as well as livestock production (McGraw-Hill Science & Technology Encyclopedia:Agriculture, 2011). In its broadest sense, agriculture comprises the entire range of technologies associated with the production of useful products from plants and animals, including soil cultivation, crop and livestock management, and the activities of processing and marketing. In addition to that, the term agribusiness has been coined to include all the technologies that mesh in the total inputs and outputs of the farming sector. In this light, agriculture encompasses the whole range of economic activities involved in manufacturing and distributing the industrial inputs used in farming; the farm production of crops, animals, and animal products; the processing of these materials into finished products; and the provision of products at a time and place demanded by consumers Leeches are commonly known as a kind of animals that suck blood, and there is three types of leech such fresh water, terrestrial and marine leeches. Scientifically it is subclass as Hirudinea (Agriculture, 2009). It is closely related to earthworms, and it is hermaphrodites that have both male and female reproductive organs which means for one leech it have two reproductive organ .Ultimately Leech had identified 600 species but only 15 are used in market. Leeches can be used for medical and cosmetic purpose. Traditional use is by letting the leech to suck blood of the patient's body to relief headache and join pain. According to Sanskrit writings, Dhavantari, the father of Indian medicine it is used for health such as preventing hair loss. Leech oil is known as sensa oil to the local community for enhancing the sex capability of man. Chinese medicine use leech as an ingredient for various treatments. Leeches therapy has long history. Records indicate that Egyptians used leech therapy 3,500 years ago. Leech treatments were very popular during the middle Ages. Back to ancient time, over 2000 years ago leech had been use for medical purpose. It is proven by painting of leeches in pharaohs' tomb. The Solomon Parables also describe leech treatment use in ancient medicine. Leech therapy in Greek medicine can be found in the poem Alexipharmacia by Nicandros. Roman physician Galen classified leech therapy as a method for achieving healthy balance. Modern medicine uses the ingredient extracted from leech to cure blood related diseases or make other product such as balm, massage lotion, facial foam and others.