Exploring the Antibacterial Potency of Cymbopogon Essential Oils: Liposome Encapsulation and Phytochemical Insights.

: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a critical global health challenge, requiring innovative strategies to combat resistant bacterial strains. essential oils (EOs) are promising natural antimicrobial agents. : The EO of was extracted by hydrodistillation from fresh aerial parts and compared to commercial EOs from , , and . Antibacterial activity was evaluated against seven bacterial strains (two Gram-positive and five Gram-negative). Both water-soluble fractions and liposome-encapsulated formulations were tested. Liposomes were prepared using soybean lecithin, and their stability was assessed by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The chemical composition of the pure EOs, water-soluble fractions and non-water-soluble fractions was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). : Liposome encapsulation improved EO solubility in aqueous media and significantly enhanced antibacterial efficacy, reducing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values compared to the water-soluble fractions (MICs ≥ 25%). Among the tested formulations, the liposome containing EO exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect against (MIC: 0.04%) followed by liposomes with and (MIC: 0.08%). Against , the most effective formulation was the liposome containing EO (MIC: 0.02%), followed by (MIC: 0.08%). The liposome formulated with maintained its particle size over 72 h without phase separation. GC-MS analysis revealed distinct phytochemical profiles: EO was rich in piperitone (73.9%) and was rich in (Z)-(3,3-Dimethyl)-cyclohexylideneacetaldehyde (39.9%) and citral (32.5%), while and were dominated by geraniol (21.5%) and citronellal (30.8%), respectively. Notably, piperitone, the major compound in EO, exhibited strong antibacterial activity against (MIC of <0.04%). : These findings support the potential of liposome-encapsulated EOs as an effective and sustainable strategy to address AMR. This study provides a foundation for the development of plant-based antimicrobial formulations with improved efficacy.