The secretion of Cornu aspersum has been under investigation for some years for its therapeutic properties in the area of skin ageing, which is accompanied by diminished structural integrity and wound healing. In wound healing, dermal fibroblast cells must proliferate and migrate into the injured tissue. Research into natural products by pharmaceutical companies has discovered that the secretion of snails may have potential as the basis of a regenerative treatment. Snails retract their orientation organs upon detection of solar radiation and secrete large amounts of protective mucous. Snails also never suffer from skin infections. A paper published in 1999 (Ledo A. et al, Radioprotección 1999;23) demonstrated that a secretion from C. aspersa (abbreviated SCA) induced skin regeneration after wound healing impairment from radiodermatitis. Researchers at the Hospital Universitario de la Princesa in Madrid (Brieva A. et al., Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2008;21:15-22) have now performed research to evaluate these regenerative properties. They have found that SCA possesses antioxidant properties, induces fibroblast proliferation and promotes extra cellular matrix remodelling, all essential for wound healing and tissue plasticity. They have also found that SCA inhibits an enzyme called matrix metaloproteinase (MMP), thus limiting the extent of damage during wounding and scar formation. The authors go on discuss possible future uses in regenerative therapy.
For the less squeamish it may be of interest to learn that there is a patent filed for the method of extraction of the secretion from C. aspersum, which was used by the researchers. This involves stimulating the living snails to produce their natural secretions from the mucinous, albuminous and salivary glands by centrifugation and then collecting the fluids from the living animals.