Cervical cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) represents a new generation of antitumor agents targeting DNA topoisomerase I, which has been applied to treat various cancers with fewer side effects. Autophagy is emerging as an important biological mechanism in targeting human cancers, including cervical cancer. In this study, We have reported that HCPT could induce autophagy in Hela cells. Our investigation of the underlying mechanisms revealed that the decreased expression of miR-30a is involved in HCPT-induced autophagy. Futhermore, we showed that miR-30a could directly target a specific fragment in the 3′ untranslated region of Beclin-1 as demonstrated by luciferase assay and overexpression of hsa-miR-30a by transfecting with miR-30a mimic could block HCPT-induced autophagic activity. It is the first time provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms by which HCPT affect cervical cancer.