Wild-Grown Romanian Eupatorium cannabinum: Advancing Phyto-Nanocarriers via Maltodextrin Micro-Spray Encapsulation—Metabolite Profiling, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Cytotoxicity Insights

In Romanian ethnopharmacology, <i>Eupatorium cannabinum</i> species is known for its remarkable biological activity. We present an advanced approach to encapsulation using maltodextrin matrices to enhance the stability and efficacy of phytoconstituents and nanoparticles. Two distinct carrier systems were developed: (i) a direct micro-spray encapsulation of <i>E. cannabinum</i> in maltodextrin to produce a maltodextrin-encapsulated carrier (MEC), and (ii) a two-step process involving the preparation of a new phytocarrier system based on gold nanoparticles (EC-AuNPs), followed by micro-spray encapsulation in maltodextrin to create the maltodextrin-encapsulated AuNPs system (MEC-AuNPs system). Comprehensive chemical profiling using GC-MS and ESI-QTOF-MS revealed 80 bioactive molecules, including terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phytoecdysteroids. Morpho-structural (XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM) and thermal analyses confirmed the successful integration of NPs within the matrices. EC-AuNPs and MEC-AuNPs exhibited superior antioxidant activity, significant antimicrobial efficacy against major bacterial pathogens (<i>S. aureus</i>, <i>B. subtilis</i>, <i>B. cereus</i>, <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, <i>S. typhi</i>, and <i>E. coli</i>), and enhanced cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cell lines. This study highlights the potential of combining <i>E. cannabinum</i> with AuNPs and maltodextrin encapsulation to develop multifunctional therapeutic systems. The findings underscore the importance of phytoconstituent stabilization and nanotechnology in addressing global antimicrobial resistance and advancing innovative medical applications.