Exploring the Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Properties of Helix aspersa Müller Flesh Crude Extract: A Comprehensive Investigation

Abstract

Snail flesh is a highly nutritious and easily digestible food commonly integrated into the human diet. In this study, snails belonging to the Helix aspersa Muller species were used to determine their chemical composition and evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of their flesh using successive maceration extractions with three solvents of different polarities. Biomolecules were analyzed spectrophotometrically, and their chemical compositions were determined by using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. The antioxidant activity was assessed using three tests: DPPH, iron-reducing power test, and total antioxidant activity. The ethanol extract was found to be the most effective, with a high yield and high biomolecule content compared with other extracts. The extracts showed a significant amount of antioxidants, ranging from 3.14 to 7.04 mg AAE g −1 of dry matter, according to the total antioxidant activity assay. The DPPH scavenging capacity showed a reduction of the radical, with inhibitory concentrations ranging from 507.07 to 829.49 μg mL −1 . In contrast, the iron-reducing power ranged from 67.98 to 424.74 μg mL −1 . All of the strains studied responded favorably to the antimicrobial effects of H. aspersa extracts, with a zone of inhibition ranging from 8.48 to 15.53 mm. Additionally, at approximately 15 mg mL −1 , the ethanolic extract had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. H. aspersa Muller flesh is rich in biomolecules with antioxidant and antibacterial activities, which could justify its use as a natural product and in therapeutic applications in the food industry.