Based on studies of structure-activity relationship, trans-4-aminomethylcyclohexanecarbonyl-L-phenylalanine-4-carbox ymethylanilide (Tra-Phe-APAA) was designed as a selective plasma kallikrein inhibitor and synthesized. Tra-Phe-APAA inhibited plasma kallikrein with a Ki value of 0.81 microM, while it inhibited glandular kallikrein, plasmin, urokinase, factor Xa and thrombin with Ki values of greater than 500, 390, 200, greater than 500, and greater than 500 microM, respectively. However, its stereoisomer, Tra-D-Phe-APPA did not exhibit any detectable inhibitory activity against the above enzymes.