The MGC-803 cells were divided into control group and different doses of BEA groups，and the cells were cultured with DMEH high sugar medium containing 0，2.5，5.0，10.0，20.0，40.0，and 80.0 μmol·L^－1 BEA. The proliferation rates， apoptotic rates， migration rates and the number of invasion MGC-803 cells were detected by CCK-8 method， flow cytometry， scratch test and Transwell method， respectively. The expression levels of SMAD homology 7（SMAD7），transforming growth factor-β receptor 1（TGF-βR1）， phosphorylated SMAD2（p-SMAD2），phosphorylated SMAD3（p-SMAD3），SRY-box transcription factor 4（SOX4）， zinc finger E-box- binding protein 2（ZEB2）， matrix metalloproteinase-9（MMP-9）， Snail and Slug proteins in the MGC-803 cells in various groups were detected by Western blotting method.

Compared with control group，the proliferation rates of cells in 2.5， 5.0， 10.0， 20.0， 40.0 and 80.0 μmol·L^－1 BEA groups were decreased after 24， 48 and 72 h of incubation（P<0.05）.After 72 h of incubation， the apoptotic rates in 2.5， 5.0， 10.0 and 20.0 μmol·L^－1 BEA groups were increased compared with control group （P<0.05）. After 24 h of incubation， compared with control group， the migration rates in 2.5， 5.0， 10.0 and 20.0 μmol·L^－1 BEA groups were decreased （P<0.05），and the number of invasion cells was decreased（P<0.05）. The results of Western blotting method revealed that compared with control group，the expression level of SMAD7 protein in 20 μmol·L^－1 BEA group was increased（P<0.05），and the expression levels of TGF-βRI， p-SMAD2， p-SMAD3， SOX4， ZEB2， MMP-9， Snail and Slug proteins were decreased after 48 h of incubation.

BEA regulates the proliferation， apoptosis， migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells by up-regulating the expression of SMAD7 and inhibiting the activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.