Ketamine principally acts as a pore blocker of the NMDA receptor, an ionotropic glutamate receptor. The S-(+) and R-(–) stereoisomers of ketamine bind to the dizocilpine site of the NMDA receptor with different affinities, the former showing approximately 3- to 4-fold greater affinity for the receptor than the latter. As a result, the S isomer is a more potent anesthetic and analgesic than its R counterpart.
ketamine principally acts as a pore blocker of the nmda receptor an ionotropic glutamate receptor the s-(+) and r-(–) stereoisomers of ketamine bind to the dizocilpine site of the nmda receptor with different affinities the former showing approximately 3- to 4-fold greater affinity for the receptor than the latter as a result the s isomer is a more potent anesthetic and analgesic than its r counterpart