Ketamine chemical structure

Psychotomimetic Drugs. Figure 2 Chemical structures of the dissociative anesthetics phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine. Both are arylcycloalkylamine derivatives that are open channel blockers of the NMDA channel. 

The chemical structure of ketamine is similar to that of the potent psychedelic PCP (Figure 6.2). Not surprisingly, ketamine produces many psychedelic effects that are similar to those produced by PCP. However, ketamine s effects are much shorter in duration—a trip on ketamine may last only 30-60 minutes, whereas a trip on PCP may last several hours. The onset of ketamine s actions is quite rapid (i.e., within minutes), especially if snorted or injected intravenously. 

Figure 6.2 The chemical structure of ketamine (top) is related to the psychedelic PCP (bottom). Both chemicals produce strong hallucinations and psychedelic effects. However, while the effects of ketamine may only last an hour, the effects of PCP can last several hours after the drug is taken.

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