Improvement of Heliciculture by Three Medicinal Plants Belonging to the Lamiaceae Family

Abstract

Snails were fed with three medicinal plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family (rosemary, sage, and peppermint) in order to test their effects on those animals with high nutritive values. The media of raising were flour containing different percentages of the cited plants ranging from 1% to 9%. The feed had benefits on the raised snails depending on the plant and its percentage. Minerals in those aromatic plants, especially zinc and magnesium, had their effect on protein synthesis in snails fed with those plant percentages. Rosemary was the most profitable plant with the highest protein amount, the lowest mortality rate, and reduced microbial charge. Furthermore, it was a good regulator of the specific catalase activity which confirmed the role of the antioxidant activity of rosemary during raising snails.