Objective To investigate the effect of salvianolic acid B (SalB) on the proliferation, migration and differentiation of human gingival mesenchymal stem cells (hGMSCs). Methods The hGMSCs were isolated and cultured, and the expressions of CD73, CD90, CD34, and CD45 were detected by flow cytometry; logarithmic phase cells were selected and hGMSCs were treated with 0, 5, 10 μmol/L SalB for 24 hours. The proliferation activity of cells in each group was detected by CCK-8 assay, the migration ability of cells was detected by TranswellTM assay and scratch test, and the osteogenic differentiation ability and the adipogenic differentiation ability were detected by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and oil red O staining, respectively; the mRNA and protein expressions of cell differentiation proteins and genes as well as proteins related to the PI3K/AKT signal pathway were detected by Real-time quantiative PCR and Western blotting. Results The proliferation and migration ability of SalB-treated hGMSCs were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner; the ability of osteogenic differentiation of hGMSCs and the expressions of osteogenesis associated proteins and PI3K/AKT signal pathway related proteins were up-regulated, while the adipogenic differentiation decreased, and the expression of adipogenesis related proteins was significantly down-regulated. Conclusion SalB promotes the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of hGMSCs and inhibits the adipogenic differentiation, which may be related to the activation of PI3K/AKT signal pathway.