Integrative metabolomics and chemometric analysis reveal metabolites associated with antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of celery, Coriander, and parsley against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Background The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) uropathogenic Escherichia coli and the increasing prevalence of biofilm-associated infections have created an urgent need for new antimicrobial strategies. Celery ( Apium graveolens L.), coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L.), and parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ) are widely consumed herbs with reported medicinal properties; however, the relationship between their metabolite composition and antimicrobial potential remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated whether differences in the metabolite profiles of these Apiaceae herbs are associated with their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against clinical MDR uropathogenic E. coli isolates. Methods Methanolic extracts of celery, coriander, and parsley, together with their derived methylene chloride: water (50:50, v/v) fractions, were evaluated for antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against clinical MDR uropathogenic E. coli . Untargeted LC-QTOF-MS/MS metabolomics in positive and negative ionization modes was combined with multivariate chemometric analyses to characterize metabolite profiles, discriminate among the three herbs, and identify metabolites associated with the observed biological activities. Results A total of 167 metabolites were annotated, including flavonoids, coumarins, phenolic acids, fatty acids, chlorins, and amino acid derivatives. Chemometric analyses clearly differentiated the three Apiaceae species based on their metabolic composition. Coriander exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 3.75 µg/mL, while all tested extracts demonstrated significant inhibition of biofilm formation. Integration of metabolomic and bioactivity data highlighted hydroxylated fatty acids, quercetin derivatives, coumarins, chlorin-related metabolites, and eucommicin A as candidate metabolites associated with antibacterial and antibiofilm effects. Conclusions This study provides the first integrated metabolomics-guided comparison of celery, coriander, and parsley against clinical MDR uropathogenic E. coli isolates. By linking metabolite signatures with antibacterial and antibiofilm activities, the findings offer new insight into the phytochemical basis of the biological effects of these edible herbs and identify promising candidates for future bioassay-guided and mechanistic studies aimed at combating antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-associated infections.