The clinical effects and pharmacokinetics of ketamine, administered as an i.v. infusion, were studied in 31 patients. Anaesthesia was induced with ketamine 2 mg kg-1 i.v. and maintained using an i.v. infusion of ketamine, supplemented by nitrous oxide. The plasma concentrations of ketamine, nor-ketamine and dehydro-nor-ketamine were analysed using gas-liquid chromatography. The average maintena...

The rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant effects of (R,S)-ketamine have recently gained much attention. Although (S)-ketamine has been studied as an active isomer, recent evidence suggests that (R)-ketamine exhibits longer-lasting antidepressant effects than (S)-ketamine in rodents. However, the antidepressant potential of (R)-ketamine has not been fully addressed. In the present study,...

This study investigated the behavioral and biochemical parameters of DM1 as a risk factor in an animal model of schizophrenia (SZ). All groups: 1 Control (saline+saline); 2 Alloxan (alloxan+saline); 3 Ketamine (saline+ketamine); 4 (Alloxan+Ketamine) were fasted for a period of 18h before the subsequent induction of DM via a single intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of alloxan (150mg/kg). From the ...

BACKGROUND The spinal administration of some N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists results in antinociception and potentiates the effects of opioids and alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists, but ketamine and its enantiomers have not been examined. The present study investigated the interactions of racemic ketamine, R(-)-ketamine and S(+)-ketamine with morphine and with dexmedetomidine. METHODS In...

Aims: We aimed to compare the effects of anesthesia induction on hemodynamic parameters ketamine-midazolam or etomidate-midazolam combinations and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
 Material Methods: 40 adult patients undergoing CABG were randomly allocated into two groups for this prospective randomized double-blinded study. Ketamine group (n = 20) Etomidate 20). Intraoperative pos...

Antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors such as ketamine, induce abnormalities in healthy subjects similar to those found in schizophrenia. However, recent evidence, suggests that most of the currently known NMDA antagonists have a broader receptor profile than originally thought. Besides exerting an antagonistic effect on NMDA receptors, they have agonistic effects on dopamine...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the influence of ketamine and its enantiomers on cerebral haemodynamics, and there are no direct comparison reports. This study was designed to evaluate cerebrovascular responses to bolus injections of racemic, S(+)- and R(-)-ketamine in an established experimental model. METHODS Anaesthesia was induced with propofol in 14 pigs and maintained with fentanyl and...

AS part of the effort to develop mechanisms-based approaches to pain therapy, renewed interest has focused on the use of ketamine for treatment of acute and chronic pain. In particular, the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) excitatory glutamate receptors in nociceptive transmission has been established in humans. NMDA receptors participate in the development and maintenance of what can be cal...

Ketamine, a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, has multiple clinical uses. On the other hand, ketamine abuse or recreational use has been gaining increasing attention. Induction of mania and psychotic symptoms has been reported in a patient receiving IV ketamine therapy for reflex sympathetic dystrophy. We here report a 26 year-old man who abused ketamine by ...

BACKGROUND The role of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in the antidepressant effects of ketamine is controversial. In addition to mTOR, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is a key signaling molecule in prominent pathways that regulate protein synthesis. (R)-Ketamine has a greater potency and longer-lasting antidepressant effects than (S)-ketamine. Here we investiga...