GC–MS-driven network pharmacology analysis reveals the bacteriostatic potential of Amomum villosum Lour. Essential oil against Helicobacter pylori in vitro

Amomum villosum Lour. ( A. villosum ), a renowned traditional Chinese medicine, is extensively utilized in China for treating gastrointestinal diseases. A. villosum essential oil (AVEO) has been shown to impact gastric cancer cell apoptosis, yet its inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and therapeutic efficacy in gastrointestinal disorders remain uninvestigated. To address this gap, this study integrates network pharmacology and in vitro experiments to analyze AVEO's composition and anti-Hp potential. AVEO extracted via steam distillation was subjected to GC–MS analysis, identifying camphor (39.697 %), bornyl acetate (16.459 %), limonene (10.367 %), camphene (7.351 %), and borneol (6.46 %) as major components. Subsequently, a “Compounds-Drug-Targets” network was constructed and enriched using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Molecular docking predicted strong binding affinity between AVEO components and Hp targets. Experimentally, AVEO exhibited a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 256 μg/mL against Hp, disrupting biofilm formation and delaying its logarithmic growth phase. Furthermore, fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) assays revealed additive effects when AVEO was combined with antibiotics (Metronidazole, Levofloxacin, Amoxicillin, and Clarithromycin). Collectively, network pharmacological and in vitro validation confirmed AVEO's multi-target, multi-pathway anti-Hp mechanism.