To investigate the role of kinins in ischemia, bradykinin and kininase II inhibitor (captopril) were injected to rats with acute ischemia of the hind limb. Maximum specific binding (Bsp%) of insulin to hind limb muscle membranes as well as the number of insulin receptors were investigated. In ischemic rats glucose turnover was disturbed and its increased concentration in blood together with lowered binding of insulin were observed. Bradykinin and captopril normalized the glucose level, increasing insulin binding to membranes. Simultaneously, they elevated the number of low-affinity insulin receptors in muscle membranes of ischemic rats. In the light of the obtained results bradykinin and captopril seem to improve disturbed carbohydrate metabolism by affecting the number of insulin binding sites in muscles.