Chemical Composition and Anti-Aging Potential of Passiflora edulis By-Product Fractions: A Comparative Study Integrating Metabolomic Profiling and Molecular Docking

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) processing generates by-products rich in bioactive secondary metabolites; however, comparative characterization across fruit fractions remains limited. This study evaluated pulp (PPE), pulp-seed (PSC), and seed (PSE) extracts for extraction yield, metabolite composition, antioxidant and anti-aging activities, and collagen-stimulatory activity in human skin fibroblasts. Extraction yields followed the order PPE > PSE > PSC. Untargeted LC–QTOF/MS profiling revealed distinct phytochemical patterns, with piceatannol enriched in PSE and trans-ferulic acid broadly abundant across all fractions. PSE showed the strongest antioxidant activity in DPPH and FRAP assays, and both PSE and PSC inhibited collagenase and hyaluronidase, while PPE showed negligible activity. All extracts were non-cytotoxic up to 0.1 mg/mL. At this concentration, PSC enhanced type I collagen production by 8.07 ± 2.24%, significantly exceeding PSE (2.26 ± 1.33%), while piceatannol stimulated collagen synthesis by 11.34 ± 1.50%, comparable to L-ascorbic acid (13.90 ± 1.16%). Molecular docking suggested that piceatannol and trans-ferulic acid may contribute to the observed anti-aging effects by interacting favorably with collagenase and hyaluronidase. These findings demonstrate that passion fruit by-product fractions exhibit complementary bioactivity profiles, with PSE favoring antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects and PSC enhancing collagen biosynthesis, as natural anti-aging applications.