Bradykinin widens blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow. ACE inhibitors can improve its production, but may cause a chronic cough. Overproduction is linked to hereditary angioedema, but natural remedies like pineapple and aloe can help slow production.
Bradykinin is a peptide found within the body that helps widen or open blood vessels. This lowers blood pressure and allows blood to flow more smoothly throughout the body. Many brands of blood pressure lowering medications help improve the production of bradykinin or prevent it from decreasing within the body due to certain conditions.
Medical professionals have noted that bradykinin helps make soft muscle tissue, such as blood vessels, more permeable and allows them to contract and open. By understanding the body’s mechanisms for controlling blood pressure, scientists can discover newer and safer ways to treat hypertension in patients with chronic conditions.
The discovery of bradykinin was led by Dr. Mauricio Rocha e Silva, along with other researchers in Brazil. At the time they were studying the effects of circulatory shock, mainly that caused by enzymes commonly found in venom. They discovered it in the plasma of some animals after being introduced to the venom of a Brazilian spear snake, and noted the resulting effects on blood vessels. This has also led to a better understanding of how some toxins invade the bloodstream so quickly. They typically induce the production of bradykinin within the body, thus allowing the venom to circulate more rapidly.
In some cases, the use of bradykinin-related high blood pressure medications, also called ACE inhibitors, can cause a chronic dry cough. This is the number one reason patients stop using ACE inhibitor drugs. Other drugs offered do not cause this reaction, but are not as effective and therefore only recommended for those with mild hypertension. Unless the cough becomes severe, patients with chronic or severe hypertension may be advised to continue taking ACE inhibitor drugs, sometimes in reduced doses.
Researchers have also noted a link between overproduction of bradykinin and the development of hereditary angioedema. The drugs were created to inhibit production and have proven effective. There are also natural ways to slow bradykinin production, including pineapple leaves and stems, polyphenols, and aloe. A physician should be consulted before consuming large amounts of these substances, especially those with high blood pressure.
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