The venoconstrictive property of adrenaline and bradykinin and their tachyphylaxis in isolated rabbit saphenous veins

Effect of synthetic bradykinin on contractile tension of human saphenous vein strips

The ability of synthetic bradykinin to contract isolated, helically-cut human saphenous vein strips was studied in vitro. Bradykinin (0.05-2.0,mug/ml) consistently failed to contract human vein strips. Similarly prepared rabbit aortic strips also failed to contract when exposed to bradykinin in the concentration range studied. Bradykinin-insensitive vein and aortic strips responded with substantial increases in contractile tension when exposed to prostaglandin E(2), noradrenaline, histamine and KC1. However, bradykinin (0.1,mug/ml) was, capable of relaxing human vein strips, which had contracted in response to prostaglandin E(2).