Ketamine Pill

About Ketamine Pill: 

• Ketamine, also known as Ketalar, is a medicine that doctors use to make people not feel pain during surgeries.
• It is sometimes called a “party drug”, blocks the receptor for an excitatory neurotransmitter — those that cause neurons fire and send messages — called glutamate.
• It is derived from a hallucinogenic drug Phencyclidine (PCP), it works by blocking the NMDA receptor in the brain and spinal cord, and increases a brain chemical or neurotransmitter called glutamate.
• It halts transmission of pain in the spinal cord and activates reward pathways of the brain.
• It is a dissociative anaesthetic with psychedelic properties and is used under strict medical supervision for anaesthesia and to treat treatment-resistant depression.
• Uses: Ketamine therapy is used to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, end-of-life distress, chronic pain, drug/alcohol problems, and more.
• Potential side effects on the body include agitation, depression, cognitive issues, unconsciousness, and memory loss.
• Regulation in India: It is a Schedule X drug in India, which means it is tightly controlled and even monitored on a case-specific basis by the prescribing doctor. 

Q1: What is Anesthesia?

It is the use of medicines to prevent pain during surgery and other procedures. These medicines are called anesthetics. They may be given by injection, inhalation, topical lotion, spray, eye drops, or skin patch.

Source: Ketamine pill offers hope, and risks, for treatment-resistant depression