Bradykinin-Induced Increase in Total and Effective Blood Flow in Skeletal Muscle

Abstract

The effect of the synthetic peptide, bradykinin, on total and nutritional blood flow through mammalian skeletal muscle in anesthetized rats, cats, and rabbits was studied. The intra-arterial administration of the drug consistently and significantly increases total blood flow through the gastrocuemius muscle of chloralose-anesthetized cats and rabbits. A similar increase in clearance of the dye "Water Blue" from microinjection sites in the spino-trapezius muscle of the rat and clearance of iodide ions from skeletal muscle in the larger species was established. Bradykinin causes active dilatation of the nutritional circulation as well as increased total blood flow through muscle.