This short review focuses on the most recent findings in the rapidly expanding field of
kinin research. Through a series of recent publications, the crucial relevance of this group of
peptides as mediators of inflammatory
pain is becoming increasingly evident. On the strength of this idea,
kinins have been implicated as algogen
peptides produced in response to noxious stimuli. The importance of
kinins has been elucidated by different pharmacological and molecular approaches. Special attention has been given to studies with selective
kinin antagonists, as well as to the use of receptor gene deletion technology. The gathering of results has demonstrated that both B(1) and
B(2) receptors seem to exert a meaningful role during nociceptive responses, the B(1) receptor being most relevant in the chronic stages of inflammatory
pain. It is hoped that new effective and useful therapeutic agents, mainly B(1)
kinin selective receptor antagonists, might soon be available.