Puerarin protects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of HTR-8/SVneo cells by regulating the miR-20a-5p/VEGFA/Akt axis

•Puerarin could eliminate H2O2-induced cytotoxicity of HTR-8/SVneo cells.•Puerarin was able to reverse H2O2-induced apoptosis and metastasis inhibition in cells.•MMP2 and VEGFA were identified as the direct targets of miR-20a-5p.•Puerarin significantly abrogated H2O2-induced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decline in HTR-8/SVneo cells.•Puerarin reversed H2O2-induced growth inhibition in HTR-8/SVneo cells via regulating miR-20a-5p/VEGFA/Akt axis.