Objective To investigate the effects of ivabradine (Iva) on IL-10 and IL-17 expression in myocardial cells of rabbit after myocardial infarction (MI) and its role in improving ventricular remodeling. Methods A total of 46 New Zealand white rabbits were used to build myocardial infarction model through ligating left anterior descending coronary artery. The successfully prepared 36 rabbis were randomly divided into 4 groups, 9 rabbits for each group: sham operation group (S group, thoracotomy without ligation), myocardial infarction group (MI group), bisoprolol treatment group (B group) and ivabradine treatment group (Ⅰ group). Drugs were given 12 hours post myocardial infarction induction, rabbits in B group and Ⅰ group were given bisoprolol 1.25 mg/d and ivabradine 17 mg/kg/d respectively for 4 weeks; rabbits in S group and MI group were given same dose of saline at the same time for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, body mass, left and ventricular mass were weighed, and IL-10 and IL-17 expression in myocardial cell was detected by immunohistochemistry method. Results Four weeks after operation, the relative ventricular mass of rabbits in MI group was increased compared with S group (P < 0.01); compared with MI group, the relative ventricular mass of rabbits in B group and Iva group was decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with MI group, IL-10 expression in B group and Iva group was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01) and IL-17 expression was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01), and the difference was significant (P < 0.01). Compared with S group, no significant difference was found for B group and Iva group. Conclusions After 4 weeks treatment, Iva could improve ventricular remodeling through increasing the expression of myocardial anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and decreasing the expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-17, and it has some effects in protecting myocardial cells.