Objective To investigate the effect and potential mechanism of Boschniakia rossica polysaccharides (BRPS) on the invasion and migration of human liver cancer cells. Methods Different concentrations of BRPS (12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/L)were screened on liver cancer HepG2 cells to identify the appropriate concentration. Based on culture conditions, the HepG2 cells were named control group (no treatment), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) group (transfected with LV-HIF-1α), HIF-1α-NC group (transfected with LV-HIF-1α-NC), BRPS group (add 50 μg/L BRPS), and BRPS+HIF-1α group (transfected with LV-HIF-1α,and add 50 μg/L BRPS). Hoechst33258 staining was used to evaluate cell apoptosis; flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis rate; the scratch test was used to detect cells migration ability; Transwell test was used to detect cell invasion ability; Western blotting was used to detect HIF-1α and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related factors E-cadherin and vimentin protein expressions in cells. Results The ideal BRPS concentration was identified as 50 μg/L. The results of Hoechst33258 staining showed that the blue fluorescence of hepatocarcinoma cells was weak in control group and HIF-1α-NC group, the blue fluorescence of HIF-1α group was dimer than control group; the blue fluorescence of BRPS group was brighter than control group; the blue fluorescence of BRPS+HIF-1α group was lower than that in BRPS group. In the control group, the apoptosis rate was 3.89%±1.25%; the cell healing rate was 63.35%±3.35%; the number of transwell cells was 122.60±3.29. Compared with control group, HIF-1α group showed a lower apoptosis rate (1.67%±0.86%, P<0.05), higher cell healing rate (87.48%±3.92%, P<0.05), and higher number of transwell cells(208.60±6.17, P<0.05). On the contrary, BRPS group showed a higher apoptotic rate (26.58%±1.63%, P<0.05), lower cell healing rate (14.82%±3.81%, P<0.05), and decreased number of transwell cells (68.80±4.25, P<0.05). Interestingly, in BRPS+HIF-1α group,the apoptosis rate was 12.14%±1.05%, higher than HIF-1α group but lower than BRPS group; the cell healing rate and the number of transmembrane cells were 32.59%±3.76% and (123.40±4.94) cells, respectively, both of which were lower than HIF-1α group but higher than that in BRPS group (P<0.05). Compared with control group, in HIF-1α group, the expression levels of HIF-1α and vimentin increased while E-cadherin decreased; however, in BRPS group, the expression levels of HIF-1α and vimentin decreased while E-cadherin increased (P<0.05). As expected, the expression levels of HIF-1α and vimentin in BRPS+HIF-1α group were lower than those in HIF-1α group but higher than those in BRPS group; the expression levels of E-cadherin was higher than that in HIF-1α group but lower than that in BRPS group (P<0.05). Conclusion BRPS can promote HepG2 cell apoptosis, inhibit cell migration and invasion. Its mechanism may be that it can suppress EMT by regulating HIF-1α.