Esketamine
Encyclopedia
Esketamine or -ketamine (brand: Ketanest S) is a general anaesthetic
of the dissociative class by way of the central nervous system and has its mode of action as an NMDA receptor antagonist
. It is the (S)-enantiomer
of ketamine
, which is the more active constituent chirality out of the dual (RS) mixed/racemic chiral
variety in which ketamine is most often prepared.
General anaesthetic
A general anaesthetic is a drug that brings about a reversible loss of consciousness. These drugs are generally administered by an anaesthesia provider to induce or maintain general anaesthesia to facilitate surgery...
of the dissociative class by way of the central nervous system and has its mode of action as an NMDA receptor antagonist
NMDA receptor antagonist
NMDA receptor antagonists are a class of anesthetics that work to antagonize, or inhibit the action of, the N-methyl d-aspartate receptor . They are used as anesthesia for animals and, less commonly, for humans; the state of anesthesia they induce is referred to as dissociative anesthesia...
. It is the (S)-enantiomer
Enantiomer
In chemistry, an enantiomer is one of two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other that are non-superposable , much as one's left and right hands are the same except for opposite orientation. It can be clearly understood if you try to place your hands one over the other without...
of ketamine
Ketamine
Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar. Pharmacologically, ketamine is classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist...
, which is the more active constituent chirality out of the dual (RS) mixed/racemic chiral
Chirality (chemistry)
A chiral molecule is a type of molecule that lacks an internal plane of symmetry and thus has a non-superimposable mirror image. The feature that is most often the cause of chirality in molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom....
variety in which ketamine is most often prepared.