We studied the cytotoxic and anti-proliferative potential of the ethanolic extract (Slae26) from Stokesia laevis on normal murine fibroblast cell line L929 and malignant murine melanoma cell line B16, respectively.

The cytotoxicity test on the normal murine fibroblast cell line L929 indicated that Slae26 test sample concentrations less than 25 μg/ml induced moderate stimulating effects on the L929 cell line viability, after that there were noticed augmented inhibitory activity (up to 84% cell viability decrease at 100 μg/ml); similarly, the anti-proliferative test indicated that, less than 10 μg/mL extract at 24 hours/h, and less than 5 μg/mL at 48 h, Slae26 test sample induced stimulating effects, after which the same decrease in cell viability was observed. Regarding malignant murine melanoma cell line B16, the cytotoxicity test shown the same stimulating effects on the B16 cell line, followed by a severe decrease in cell viability at higher concentrations; similarly, the anti-proliferative test indicated less than 10 μg/mL extract at 24h, and less than 5 μg/mL at 48h, Slae26 extract induced stimulating effects on B16 cell line viability (up to 20% and up to 18%, at 24 h and 48 h, respectively), followed by a sharp decrease in cell viability at 24 and 48 h.

Results on molecular docking approach on the major components of Slae26 against human tyrosinase receptor to evaluate possible melanogenesis inhibition, are also presented.