Objectives : We aimed to study the effect of Smilax China L.(SCL), which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects, on the growth of skin cancer cells. Methods : HaCaT cells, a normal human cell line, and skin cancer cells including A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells were treated with Smilax China L. ethanol extract(SCL-EtOH) at concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40㎍/㎖. Meanwhile, JB6 Cl41, a normal mouse epithelial cell line, was treated with epidermal growth factor(EGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(TPA), an inflammatory factor, to induce cell transformation and treated with SCL-EtOH. In addition, we treated SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells with SCL-EtOH at various concentrations and checked the effect on the cell cycle. Results : As a result, it showed no toxicity to HaCaT cells up to the highest concentration of 40㎍/㎖, and significant cell growth inhibition to A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, as a result of checking the shape of skin cancer cells according to SCL-EtOH treatment, it was observed that as the concentration increased, the number of normally attached and growing cells decreased and the shape of the cells changed. Colony formation was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner in JB6 Cl41 cells treated with EGF or TPA. Flow cytometry analysis with propidium iodide(PI) staining showed that SCL-EtOH induced the G2/M phase arrest. We further confirmed the decrease in Cyclin B1 expression and increase in p27 expression associated with the G2/M phase of the cell cycle through western blot analysis. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that SCL-EtOH induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, through Western blot analysis, it was observed that the expression of cleaved-caspase-7, which is related to apoptosis, increased. Finally, it was confirmed that the expression of COX-2, an inflammatory marker protein, decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with SCL-EtOH. Conclusions : Through the above results, we have established a basis for applying SCL to the treatment of skin cancer.