The compound 3β, 16β, 17α‑trihydroxycholest‑5‑en‑22‑one 16‑O‑(2‑O‑4‑methoxybenzoyl‑β‑D‑xylopyranosyl)‑ (1→3)‑(2‑O‑acetyl‑α‑L‑arabinopyranoside (OSW‑1) is a member of the cholestane saponin family that was created in the bulbs of Ornithogalum saudersiae. OSW‑1 has previously been shown as cytotoxic against numerous types of malignant cells, however, its antitumoral mechanisms remain unclear. The present study aimed to examine the potential changes in the gene expression of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line (Hep3B) incubated with OSW‑1 in vitro. The results showed that OSW‑1 inhibited tumors through invasiveness, angiogenesis, cell polarity and cell adhesion (as shown by Roche NimbleGen gene expression analysis), in addition to inducing apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. This affected the expression of a number of core genes in a number of signaling pathways, including WNT, MAPK, VEGF and P53. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to report that OSW‑1, as a molecular compound, induces necroptotic death in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).