To find new pancreatic lipase (triacylgycerol acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) inhibitors from natural products, 61 medicinal plants from Korea were screened for their antilipase activity for prevention of obesity. Dried and powdered plants were extracted three times with EtOH and extracts were obtained by removal of the solvent in vacuo. Lipase activity was determined by measuring the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate to p-nitrophenol. Also, the inhibitory effect was measured on phosphodiesterase (PDE), another therapeutic target for obesity. Of the extracts tested, Sorbus commixta (stem, leaf) and Viscum album (whole plant) exhibited antilipase activity (with IC50 values of 29.6?mu g/mL and 33.3?mu g/mL, respectively) and only anti-PDE activity (IC50 values of 20.08?mu g/mL and 35.15?mu g/mL, respectively). Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.