bradykinin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “bradykinin” mean?
A peptide in the body that causes blood vessels to dilate and lowers blood pressure, and is involved in inflammation and pain sensation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A peptide in the body that causes blood vessels to dilate and lowers blood pressure, and is involved in inflammation and pain sensation.
A local hormone (autacoid) and inflammatory mediator, a component of the kinin-kallikrein system, involved in physiological processes like smooth muscle contraction, vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, and pain signalling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or usage differences. Spelling and pronunciation follow standard regional conventions (see IPA).
Connotations
None beyond the technical/medical context.
Frequency
Extremely rare outside specialised biomedical fields in both regions. Frequency is identical and context-dependent.
Grammar
How to Use “bradykinin” in a Sentence
Bradykinin binds to its receptor.The enzyme kallikrein releases bradykinin from kininogen.Bradykinin causes vasodilation.Researchers measured the concentration of bradykinin.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bradykinin” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The bradykinin response was measured.
- Bradykinin receptor antagonists are under investigation.
American English
- The bradykinin response was measured.
- Bradykinin receptor antagonists are under investigation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Potential in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D reports.
Academic
Core term in pharmacology, physiology, immunology, and medical research papers.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Only encountered in detailed patient information about certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitor side effects) or rare diseases.
Technical
The primary domain. Used precisely in biochemistry, medical diagnostics, and drug development contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bradykinin”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bradykinin”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bradykinin”
- Misspelling as 'bradikinin', 'bradykinine', or 'bradykinen'.
- Incorrect stress placement (should be on 'kin').
- Using it as a general term for any inflammatory chemical instead of the specific peptide.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It dilates blood vessels, increases their permeability (causing swelling), stimulates pain nerves, and contracts some smooth muscles. It's a major player in the inflammatory response.
It has both protective and harmful roles. It's beneficial in normal inflammation and blood flow regulation, but excessive or dysregulated bradykinin activity can cause problematic swelling, pain, and low blood pressure, as seen in some drug side effects or rare diseases.
ACE inhibitors (common blood pressure drugs) increase bradykinin levels, which can lead to a dry cough. Some new treatments for hereditary angioedema work by inhibiting bradykinin production or blocking its receptor.
Yes, but it's technically challenging because it is broken down very quickly and is usually active locally at tissue sites. Specialised assays are used in research and for diagnosing certain conditions.
A peptide in the body that causes blood vessels to dilate and lowers blood pressure, and is involved in inflammation and pain sensation.
Bradykinin is usually technical/medical/scientific in register.
Bradykinin: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbrædɪˈkaɪnɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbrædɪˈkaɪnɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BRADY' (slow, as in bradycardia) is misleading here, but 'KININ' relates to kinins (a family). Remember it as the kinin that's often 'brought in' during inflammatory responses.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often framed as a MESSENGER or SIGNAL (in cell signalling), a TRIGGER (for inflammation/pain), or a KEY (fitting into a receptor lock).
Practice
Quiz
In which physiological system is bradykinin a key component?