IntroductionObesity, the leading metabolic disease in the world, is a serious health problem in industrialized countries. Blumea balsamifera is a medicinal plant that grow in regions in Southeast Asia such as South China and the Philippines. Its leaves are also used as a tea, and as a cure for certain disorders such as rheumatism and hypertension. We investigated the anti‐obesity effect of blumea balsamifera extract on adipocyte differentiation of 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and anti‐obesity effect of 3T3‐L1 adipocytes.ResultsBlumea balsamifera extract suppressed lipid accumulation and glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase activity without affecting cell viability in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and adipocytes. Furthermore blumea balsamifera extract brought about significant attenuation of expression of key adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)γ, CCAAT element binding protein (C/EBPs) and leptin, but induced up‐regulation of adiponectin at the protein level in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and adipocytes.ConclusionThese results suggest that blumea balsamifera extract may block adipogenesis, at least in part, by decreasing key adipogenic transcription factors in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and may have antiatherogenic, anti‐inflammatory, and antidiabetic effects through up‐regulation of adiponectin in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes.