Plant Extracts Target Biofilms to Alleviate Nutritional and Metabolic Disorders in Animals

Bacterial biofilms represent a major driver of persistent infections in animals, productivity losses, and increased antibiotic use. The chronic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation induced by biofilms constitute major predisposing factors for nutritional and metabolic disorders in veterinary settings. Conventional antibiotic therapy is often limited by reduced efficacy and the emergence of resistance in biofilm eradication. Moreover, drug residues and associated metabolic toxicity pose additional risks to animal health and food safety. Plant extracts, characterized by multi-target modes of action, favourable biocompatibility, and metabolic regulatory potential, represent a sustainable strategy for addressing this challenge. This narrative review systematically examines the mechanisms by which plant-derived compounds modulate the formation and dispersal of pathogenic biofilms via direct and indirect pathways.