title: Beneficial effects of melatonin in cardiovascular disease.
abstract: The experimental data obtained from both human and rodent studies suggest that melatonin may have utility in the treatment of several cardiovascular conditions. In particular, melatonin's use in reducing the severity of essential hypertension should be more widely considered. In rodent studies melatonin has been shown to be highly effective in limiting abnormal cardiac physiology and the loss of critical heart tissue resulting from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Melatonin may also be useful in reducing cardiac hypertrophy in some situations and thereby limiting the frequency of heart failure. Finally, some conventional drugs currently in use have cardiotoxicity as a side-effect. Based on studies in rodents, melatonin, due to its multiple anti-oxidative actions, is highly effective in abrogating drug-mediated damage to the heart. Taken together, the findings from human and animal studies support the consideration of melatonin as a cardioprotective agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA. reiter@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: Dun-Xian
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Sergio D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Paredes
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Broto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012377:Rodentia; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D008550:Melatonin