Arketamine: a scoping review of its use in humans.
European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience December 16, 2024 Gustavo C Leal, Isabel Lima-Araújo, David G Roiter et al. 7 citations
Arketamine, an enantiomer of ketamine, has been less studied than esketamine or racemic ketamine, but recent preclinical work suggests it may have prolonged antidepressant effects and a better safety profile. This scoping review of 20 studies involving 410 subjects found arketamine was primarily investigated for pain management and depression. Early evidence indicates it may reduce pain, though most studies were small and in non-clinical settings. In psychiatry, trials show potential antidepressant effects, but results are inconsistent and some studies unpublished. A consistent finding is arketamine's favorable safety profile, with fewer dissociative and psychotomimetic effects than esketamine or racemic ketamine. Larger, well-designed studies are needed to determine its therapeutic potential.