The present study was designed to examine the acute and chronic effects of increased levels of circulating bradykinin (BK) on control of renal hemodynamics, electrolyte excretion, and arterial pressure. Intrarenal infusion of BK (50 ng X kg-1 X min-1) for 60 min in five anesthetized dogs with renal perfusion pressure maintained at a constant level of 108 +/- 1 mmHg had no significant effect on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), whereas it increased renal blood flow (RBF) from a control value of 230 +/- 14 to 282 +/- 18, 266 +/- 15, and 253 +/- 17 ml/min after 15, 30, and 60 min of infusion, respectively. Acute intrarenal infusion of BK also increased urine volume (UV) from 0.255 +/- 0.044 to 0.523 +/- 0.103 ml/min and urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) from 5.72 +/- 1.5 to 13.7 +/- 3.4 mueq/min. To determine whether the potent acute effects of BK on RBF, UV, and UNaV lead to a chronic reduction in arterial pressure, BK (50 ng X kg-1 X min-1) was infused intrarenally for 7 days in conscious dogs. Intrarenal infusion of BK for 7 days had no significant effect on GFR, UNaV, UV, or arterial pressure. However, BK elevated renal plasma flow and decreased renal vascular resistance throughout the 7 days of infusion. Chronic intrarenal BK infusion caused no significant changes in plasma renin activity or plasma aldosterone concentration. Results from these studies indicate that although increased levels of bradykinin in the renal circulation can have potent acute effects on RBF, UV, and UNaV, these effects on UV and UNaV are not sustained and therefore do not result in long-term changes in arterial pressure.