International name for 2-(2-Chlorphenyl)-2-(methylamino)-cyclohexanone, C13H16ClNO, M=237,74 g/mol.
Ketamine is an intravenously or intramusculary applied depressent with short period of effectiveness and strong analgetic effect. It was used in particular in the 70's clinically as combined hypnotic, analgesic and amnestic. The psychological effects resemble those from halluzinogens, i.e. with higher doses it can come to psychopathologic changes such as disturbances of the short time memory, illusions and schizophrenia-similar paranoid like hallucinations. Typical psychotic experiences are hallucinations, timelessness, lively color impressions, the feeling, the body belong too abandoned, a dissolution of the I borders and flowing together with the environment (Hansen, 1988).Today, Ketamine has a legal status of a Class C drug. Abuse as Date Rape Drug.Scene-names: Special K, Vitamin K
The behaviour is likewise the LSD. Flashbacks are observed, meaning symptoms occured without any new dosage of the drug. Just like LSD it was used for production of "experimental psychoses" (Vollenweider, 1992). The question of deaths by unintentional overdosing is not yet clarified.
Ketamine is used today preferentially as animal narcotic (Ketalar®).
Lit.:
Hansen, G., Jensen, S.B., Chandresh, L., Hilden, T.: The psychotropic Effect of Ketamine. J. Psychoactive Drug 20:419-425, 1988
Vollenweider, F.X.: Die Anwendung von Psychomimetika in der Schizophrenieforschung unter Berücksichtigung der Ketamin/PCP-Modell-Psychose. Sucht 38: 398-409, 1992
