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Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Mechanical Control of Relaxation Using Intact Cardiac Trabeculae
Published on: February 17, 2023
Recombinant human H2 relaxin (serelaxin) as a cardiovascular drug: aiming at the right target
1Research Unit of Histology & Embryology, Department of Experimental & Clinical Medicine University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Abstract:
Serelaxin (recombinant human relaxin-2 hormone; RLX-2) had raised expectations as a new medication for cardiovascular diseases. Evidence from preclinical studies indicated that serelaxin has chronotropic, inotropic, and anti-arrhythmic actions on the myocardium and cardioprotective effects mediated by vasodilation, angiogenesis, and inhibition of inflammation and fibrosis. However, clinical trials with serelaxin in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) gave inconclusive results. A critical reappraisal of the comprehensive cardiovascular actions of serelaxin clearly delineates acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as a feasible therapeutic target. Serelaxin acts at multiple levels on the pathogenic mechanisms of AMI and previous in vivo studies suggest that its administration at reperfusion affords myocardial salvage. Thus, serelaxin could be an effective adjunctive medical therapy to coronary angioplasty.
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