Study touts horse tranquilizer Ketamine as ‘magic’ anti-depressant
Ketamine
Raw Story
By Agence France-Presse
Ketamine, a general anesthetic usually administered to children and pets but perhaps best known as a horse tranquilizer, is also highly effective in low doses as an anti-depressant, according a study published Thursday.
Researchers at Yale University wrote in the August 20 issue of the journal Science that unlike most anti-depressants on the market which can take weeks to take full effect ketamine can begin to counter depression in hours.
“It’s like a magic drug — one dose can work rapidly and last for seven to 10 days,” said Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale and senior author of the study.
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ketamine is a great drug. I am an CRNA and have used ketamine a lot for my patients. It is dissosiative agent and provides great pain control. I liked to use in small doses to supplement versed and fentanyl. provides great sedation; sort of a “twilight sleep”.