Generation, in activation and level of blood kinins during tourniquet shock in rabbits.

Traumatic shock was induced by the tourniquet method compressing one thigh during 10 hours. Venous blood samples were taken from control animals, as well as twice in the nervous phase of shock - after application and before removal of the tourniquet, and in the humoral-toxic phase - 1, 3 and 5 hours after tourniquet removal, in groups of 10 animals. Determinations included blood kinin level, and plasma kininogen level, and the activity of kallikreins and kininases in the plasma. It was found that during tourniquet shock a significant change occurred in the whole blood kinin system. Proportionally to the severity of shock the level of free kinins and kallikrein activity increased 3-4, times and the level of kininogen and the activity of kininases decreased, especially 3 hours after tourniquet removal.