AbstractEthanolic extract of the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. showed significant inhibitory activity of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) determined by monitoring the transformation from a substrate hippuryl‐histidyl‐leucine (HHL) to the product hippuric acid (HA) in vitro using an UPLC‐MS method. The bioguided fractionation of the extract resulted in the isolation of four ACE inhibitory active phenylpropanoid glycosides acteoside, isoacteoside, plantainoside D, and plantamajoside with IC50 values of 2.69 mM, 2.46 mM, 2.17 mM, and 2.47 mM, respectively. Their structures were elucidated through the analysis of NMR, UV, IR and MS data. Our study is the first demonstration that Plantago asiatica L. and its major constituents have ACE inhibitory activity in vitro. It is assumed that the identified compounds contribute to the angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐inhibitory activity of the extract. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.