Ketamine in spotlight

Doctor advises of dangers and potential for adverse risks, like any medication.

Initially identified in the early '60s for its anaesthetic properties in veterinary use, ketamine is now on the World Health Organisation's List of Essential Medicines. It has also been abused for its properties over decades - but with a balanced view and cautious approach, ketamine can have potentially life-saving applications in psychiatric medicine.

Psychiatrist Dr Bavi Vythilingum practises at Netcare Akeso Kenilworth and Ukukhanye Wellness, a psychiatrist-led ketamine clinic that focuses on evidence-based ethical ketamine treatment.

She emphasises its usefulness for certain patients but also warns health care practitioners and the general public about misinformation and the inappropriate use of the drug.

"Ketamine is a pharmacologically novel treatment with proven efficacy in major depressive disorder. It is one of the first nonmonoaminergic treatments, which means not involving the balance of hormones, such as serotonin or norepinephrine.