noun
- Plural of hirudin; anticoagulant proteins produced by leeches that prevent blood clotting by inhibiting thrombin.
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical; technical term; used in clinical and research contexts
Examples
- Hirudins are extracted from medicinal leeches and used in anticoagulant therapy.
- The pharmaceutical company developed synthetic hirudins for blood clot prevention.
- Hirudins work by directly inhibiting thrombin, a key enzyme in blood coagulation.
- Researchers studied the effectiveness of hirudins in preventing deep vein thrombosis.
- Hirudins have been approved by regulatory agencies for certain cardiovascular treatments.