Bradykinin is frequently referred to as an elusive substance; the editor of a comprehensive volume dealing with kinins thus has a difficult task. The com plexity of the issues calls for a large number of contributors who approach the topics from the various angles that are dictated by the sometimes divergent views of the individuals. The editor saw no reason to prescribe the mode of presentation, which was left to the authors and accounts for the variety of approaches. Contributors from nine countries were asked to participate in the volume. The chapters were organized to present, first, the history of the discoveries and methods of approach to kinin research. Then follows a discussion of the enzymes that release kinins, their substrates, and other enzymes that inactivate the peptides. If the release of kinin is important, then the inhibition of the releasing enzymes is of obvious interest and is described. Since the measurement of kinin ogen levels in blood has been frequently used as an indicator of kinin liberation, in addition to a separate chapter, kininogens are also mentioned where the functions of kinins are discussed. The conclusions drawn from establishing structure-action relationships for many analogs and the actions of kinins are indicated and summarized.

Klappentext

With contributions by numerous experts

Inhalt
1: Introduction.- Discovery of the Most Important Kallikreins and Kallikrein Inhibitors.- The Discovery and Characterization of Bradykinin.- 2: Methods Used in Kinin Research.- The Kinins: Methods of Chemical Synthesis.- Purification of Mammalian Kallikreins, Kininogens, and Kinins.- Assay Methods in the Kinin System.- 3: Kininogenases.- Plasma Kininogenases and Their Activators.- Kallikreins in Glandular Tissues.- Proteolytie Enzymes as Kininogenases.- Snake Venoms.- Kallikrein Inhibitors.- 4: Kininogens.- Kininogens.- 5: Kininases.- Kininases.- 6: Kinins.- Section A: Physiological and Pharmacological Actions.- Structure-Activity Relationships of Kinins.- Effect of Kallikrein on the Cardiovascular System.- The Effect of the Kinins on the Cardiovascular System.- Effects of Bradykinin on the Kidney and Gastrointestinal Organs.- The Physiological Role of Glandular Kallikreins.- Vasodilatation in the Submaxillary Gland of the Cat, Rabbit, and Sheep.- Kinins and Ventilation of the Lungs.- The Effect of Bradykinin and Kallidin on Smooth Muscle.- Effect of Bradykinin on the Central Nervous System.- Section B: Pathological Role.- Pain.- Bradykinin and Intracranial Circulation in Man.- Kinins in Inflammation and Tissue Injury.- Immunochemistry of Bradykinin and Immunologic Activation of the Kinin System.- Addenda.- Evaluation of the Role of Kinins in Experimental, Pathological, and Clinical Conditions; the Therapeutic Use of Kallikrein Inhibitor.- 7: Urinary Kinins.- Urinary Kinins and Colostrokinin.- 8: Non-Mammalian Kinins.- Discovery of Non-Mammalian Kinins.- Kinins of Non-Mammalian Origin.- 9: Summary of Literature Published in Various Languages.- Summary of the Literature Published in Czechoslovakian, Polish, and Russian Journals.- A Summary of Literature Published in French.- Summary of Literature Published in Italian.- Summary of Literature Published in Japanese.- Summary of Literature Published in Spanish and Portuguese.- Author Index.