Central cardiovascular effects of bradykinin were examined in anesthetized normotensive (NTR) and 2-kidney, 1 clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats (GHR). Bradykinin (0.5 ~ 10nmol) was administered into the right lateral cerebral ventricle, while blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were continuously monitored. In both NTR and GHR, intracerebroventricular bradykinin produced a dose dependent increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) without significant changes in HR. GHR were more sensitive in the pressor response than NTR. The pressor response to bradykinin was attenuated by treatment with hexamethonium (2.5mg/kg/min, IV) or phentolamine (2mg/kg, IV) in both NTR and GHR. Reserpine treatment (2mg/kg/day, intramuscularly,2 days) did not affect the central pressor effect of bradykinin in NTR but it attenuated the pressor effect in GHR. Pretreatment with indomethacin (10mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or saralasin (20μg/kg/min, IV) was without effects on the pressor response to bradykinin. These results indicate that the central pressor effect of bradykinin is, at least in part, due to excitation of the autonomic nervous activity. Mechanisms other than the enhanced sympathetic nervous activity ran. not be ruled out, However. It is also suggested that the sensitivity to bradykinin is increased in the GHR.