Velvet apple (Diospyros discolor Willd.) is a tropical fruit with potential bioactive constituents relevant to antioxidant-based topical applications. This study evaluated Velvet apple fruit extract and a 10% (w/w) gel formulation through qualitative phytochemical screening, DPPH radical-scavenging assay, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Fresh fruit pulp was taxonomically authenticated prior to extraction. The moisture content of the fresh fruit pulp was 82.13%, and maceration with 96% ethanol yielded 29.11% extract on a moisture-corrected basis. Qualitative phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. In the DPPH assay, the crude extract showed strong radical-scavenging activity with an IC50 of 46.00 ppm, compared with vitamin C at 5.60 ppm, whereas the gel formulation showed a much weaker apparent response under the assay conditions (IC50 = 33,286.00 ppm). In silico profiling of 52 putative constituents showed broad chemical diversity, with molecular weights ranging from 106.12 to 576.85 Da and topological polar surface area values from 0.00 to 190.28 Å^2. Target intersection analysis identified 95 shared proteins between predicted compound targets and wound-healing-related proteins, and enrichment analysis highlighted migration- and signaling-related processes. Network topology prioritized CASP3, and molecular docking against caspase-3 (PDB ID: 1NME) ranked bauerenol, β-amyrin, and cylindrin among the most plausible binders within the applied protocol. Overall, Velvet apple fruit extract appears to be a promising source of antioxidant phytochemicals, while the computational findings provide a predictive, hypothesis-generating basis for further wound-related investigation. Additional release studies, biological assays, and wound-healing models are needed to confirm formulation performance and biological relevance.

Velvet apple (Diospyros discolor Willd.) is a tropical fruit with potential bioactive constituents relevant to antioxidant-based topical applications. This study evaluated Velvet apple fruit extract and a 10% (w/w) gel formulation through qualitative phytochemical screening, DPPH radical-scavenging assay, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Fresh fruit pulp was taxonomically authenticated prior to extraction. The moisture content of the fresh fruit pulp was 82.13%, and maceration with 96% ethanol yielded 29.11% extract on a moisture-corrected basis. Qualitative phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. In the DPPH assay, the crude extract showed strong radical-scavenging activity with an IC50 of 46.00 ppm, compared with vitamin C at 5.60 ppm, whereas the gel formulation showed a much weaker apparent response under the assay conditions (IC50 = 33,286.00 ppm). In silico profiling of 52 putative constituents showed broad chemical diversity, with molecular weights ranging from 106.12 to 576.85 Da and topological polar surface area values from 0.00 to 190.28 Å^2. Target intersection analysis identified 95 shared proteins between predicted compound targets and wound-healing-related proteins, and enrichment analysis highlighted migration- and signaling-related processes. Network topology prioritized CASP3, and molecular docking against caspase-3 (PDB ID: 1NME) ranked bauerenol, β-amyrin, and cylindrin among the most plausible binders within the applied protocol. Overall, Velvet apple fruit extract appears to be a promising source of antioxidant phytochemicals, while the computational findings provide a predictive, hypothesis-generating basis for further wound-related investigation. Additional release studies, biological assays, and wound-healing models are needed to confirm formulation performance and biological relevance.