Malignant melanoma is the major cause of skin cancer-related deaths. Surgery in combination with radiotherapy, immunotherapy or chemotherapy is used to eradicate cancer cells, however, this treatment option is limited by the tolerance of the surrounding healthy tissue. The extracts from Galenia africana have been shown to possess anti-cancer flavonoid compounds and can be a safer and cost-effective alternative treatment. The study aimed to compare the anti-proliferative effects of G. africana on human skin cells (HaCaT) and human malignant melanoma cells (A375). The cells were exposed to various concentrations of the G. africana extract at different times. In vitro assays were employed to determine cell viability and cytotoxicity. Hoechst 33342 staining was performed to observe the nuclear changes, including apoptosis. G. africana significantly reduced the cell viability of the A375 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner, while having no effect on the HaCaT cells. The A375 cells displayed nuclear condensation, brightly stained nuclei and nuclear fragmentation indicative of apoptosis. This suggests a clinical rationale for the use of G. africana as a potential anti-melanoma agent offering efficacy and low toxicity. This study provides new insights for future work on investigating the utilization of G. africana in malignant melanoma treatment.

The rising prevalence of chronic burn wounds in South Africa places a significant burden on healthcare, driving the search for cost-effective, alternative treatments. Despite their long history of traditional use for skin ailments, the specific wound healing mechanisms of South African species Galenia africana L. and Tulbaghia violacea Harv. remain scientifically unvalidated, representing a critical knowledge gap and a novel area of inquiry. This study sought to evaluate the physiological and cellular effects of these plant extracts, specifically investigating their influence on keratinocyte function and oxidative stress. Initial analysis of crude ethanolic extracts confirmed the presence of key phenolic compounds like ferulic acid and rutin in both plants, with G. africana exhibiting a stronger overall radical-scavenging activity. In vitro assays were performed on the human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell line. Both G. africana and T. violacea extracts significantly enhanced cell viability (at 40–80 μg/mL) and demonstrably reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, indicating a protective antioxidant effect. Critically, in the scratch wound assay, both extracts significantly accelerated cell migration and wound closure, achieving 76% (G. africana) and 88% (T. violacea) closure within 24 h. These findings suggest that G. africana and T. violacea extracts act to support keratinocyte proliferation and migration while simultaneously mitigating oxidative cellular damage. This work provides an important mechanistic basis supporting the traditional use of these specific, regionally important plants and highlights their high therapeutic potential as novel, cost-effective agents to accelerate skin repair and recovery.