Objective: To explore the effect of glycyrrhizin (GA) on the proliferation, invasion and migration of non-small cell lung cancer HCC827 andA549 cells via regulating miR-142/ZEB1 (Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1) axis. Methods:After being cultured and transfected, HCC827 andA549 cells were divided into 4 groups: NC group (untransfected+3 mmol/L GA), miR-142 inhibitor group (miR-142 knockdown+3 mmol/L GA), pcDNA3.1-ZEB1 group (ZEB1 over-expression+3 mmol/L GA) and pcDNA3.1-ZEB1+ miR-142 mimic group (ZEB1 over-expression+miR-142+3 mmol/L GA). qPCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-142 in HCC827 andA549 cells treated with different concentrations of GA. MTT and Transwell assays were used to examine the proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC827 and A549 cells. WB was used to detect the expression level of ZEB1 protein in HCC827 and A549 cells. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to explore the relationship between miR-142 and ZEB1. Results: GA significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC827 and A549 cells, and up-regulated the expression level of miR-142 ( P < 0.05 or P <0.01). Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR-142 could targetedly combine with 3'-UTR of ZEB1 and downregulate the expression of ZEB1 ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). Further experiment validated that GAinhibited ZEB1 expression via up-regulating miR-142, thus suppressed proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC827 and A549 cells ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). Conclusion: GA inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration of NSCLC HCC827 and A549 cells, the mechanism of which is that GA inhibits the malignant biological behavior of NSCLC HCC827 andA549 cells via up-regulating the inhibition effect of miR-142 on ZEB1.