Figure 2.

Summary of the beneficial effect of melatonin in cardiac pathologies associated with the development of heart failure. Melatonin exerts its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and protects the heart against ischemic heart disease characterized by myocardial cell death (necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy/mitophagy) as well as subsequent post-infarction cardiac dysfunction and ischemic HF. Arterial hypertension and pulmonary hypertension induce both cardiac fibrosis and pathological remodeling (cardiomyopathy) with subsequent ventricular dysfunction and HF. Melatonin reverses these effects and prevents HF; ↓: increases, ↑: reduces (references in the text). Figure reproduced from [7] with permission.