Extracts　from　the　centipede　＜i＞Scolopendra＜/i＞　genus,　have　been　used　in　traditional　medicine　for　the　treatment　of　various　diseases　and　have　been　found　to　exhibit　anticancer　activity　in　tumor　cells.　To　investigate　the　potential　and　associated　antitumor　mechanism　of　alcohol　extracts　of　the　centipede　＜i＞Scolopendra　subspinipes　mutilans＜/i＞　(AECS),　cell　viability,　cell　cycle　and　cell　apoptosis　were　studied　and　the　results　revealed　that　AECS　inhibits　A375　cell　proliferation　in　a　dose-　and　time-dependent　manner.　In　addition,　AECS　was　found　to　arrest　the　cell　cycle　of　A375　cells　at　the　S　phase,　which　was　accompanied　by　a　marked　increase　in　the　protein　levels　of　cyclin　E　and　a　decrease　in　the　protein　levels　of　cyclin　D1.　In　a　cell　culture　system,　AECS　markedly　induced　the　apoptosis　of　A375　cells,　which　was　closely　associated　with　the　effects　on　the　Bcl-2　family,　whereby　decreased　Bcl-2　and　increased　Bak,　Bax　and　Bad　expression　levels　were　observed.　The　underlying　mechanism　of　AECS　inhibiting　A375　cell　proliferation　was　associated　with　the　induction　of　cell　cycle　arrest　and　apoptosis,　indicating　that　AECS　may　present　as　a　potential　therapeutic　agent　for　administration　in　human　melanoma　cancer　intervention.