Natural herbal medications may be one answer to the worldwide epidemic of obesity. This study examines the effects of Cassia seed ethanol extract (CSEE) upon lipid accumulation in white adipose tissue (WAT). CSEE exhibited a significant concentration-dependent decrease in the intracellular accumulation of trigycerides in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. After being fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 2 weeks, rats were fed CSEE (100, 200 or 300 mg/kg) once daily for 8 weeks. CSEE caused dose-related reductions in body weight gain (as well as plasma lipid levels and epididymal WAT sizes in HFD-fed rats). CSEE enhanced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its primary downstream targeting enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, up-regulated gene expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, and down-regulated sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthase protein levels in epididymal WAT of HFD-fed rats. CSEE could attenuate lipid accumulation in WAT via AMPK signaling pathway activation.