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).