Biochemical characterization and biological properties of mucus and flesh from Helix aspersa

Helix aspersa (H. aspesra) is a natural source of bioactive compounds with various healing properties, offering potential applications in the treatment of multiple diseases. This study aims to assess elucidate the chemical composition as well as the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the mucus and flesh of Helix aspersa collected from two regions in Algeria: Chlef and Mostaganem. The collected mucus and flesh were analyzed for moisture, ash, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using DPPH and β-carotene bleaching assays. Antibacterial activity was tested against five pathogenic bacterial strains. The results showed significant differences between the collected snails in the two regions. Both mucus and flesh contain high levels of moisture (76.93±0.42 to 96.08±0.68%) and ash (0.71±0.15 to 0.92±0.04%). The protein content of the flesh was found to be three times higher than that of the mucus, while both mucus and flesh exhibited low levels of carbohydrates and fat. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the mucus was greater than that of the flesh extracts. Furthermore, the mucus demonstrated superior efficacy in inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacterial strains compared to the flesh extracts.These findings suggest that, due to its distinctive chemical composition and beneficial biological properties, Helix aspersa can serve as a valuable raw material in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.