Abstract

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has created an urgent demand for alternative antibacterial agents. In this study, the antibacterial potential of crude mucus extract (CME) from the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) was evaluated against selected Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial strains. Zoochemical screening confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and reducing sugars—bioactive compounds associated with antimicrobial effects. Antibacterial efficacy was assessed using agar well diffusion , minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. CME demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect against S. aureus and B. subtilis, with inhibition zones of up to 21.96 ± 0.87 mm and 20.96 ± 0.72 mm, respectively, at 0.1 g/mL. MIC for both strains was recorded at 0.1 g/mL, though no MBC was achieved within the tested range, indicating bacteriostatic effects. No antibacterial activity was observed against E. coli and P. aeruginosa, likely due to structural defenses such as the outer membrane and efflux pumps. Statistical analyses using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test confirmed significant differences among treatment groups (p < 0.05). Tukey’s test results showed that none of the CME concentrations tested exhibited antibacterial activity statistically similar to the positive control (p < 0.0001). The positive control yielded the largest inhibition zones, with 27.77 ± 1.12 mm for S. aureus and 28.63 ± 1.08 mm for B. subtilis. The mean differences between the positive control and all CME concentrations were statistically significant, confirming that even the most potent concentration of CME was inferior in activity compared to the standard antibiotic. These findings suggest that P. canaliculata mucus possesses selective antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria and highlights its potential as a natural source of antimicrobial agents. Further studies involving compound isolation, IC₅₀ evaluation, higher concentration testing, and cytotoxicity assessments are recommended to optimize its therapeutic application potential.