Ketamine

2-(2-chlorophenyl1)-(methylamino)-cyclohexanone hydrochloride, C₁₃H₁₆ClNO

A medical and veterinary anaesthetic, selling as Ketanest and Ketalar.

In human medicine, it is used mainly as first-choice anaesthetic for victims of (street) accidents and in pediatry, but also for small surgery and in some cases for the treatment of migraine. In veterinary medicine, it is usually used for large animals, commonly horses.

There is research going on in its usefulness for the treatment of alcoholism as well.

Also used recreationally, known as "K," "ket," "special K," or "vitamin K" (not to be confused with Vitamin K). It has dissociative and hallucinatory effects.

Many drug users' first contact with Ketamine is usually involuntary, often from a pill sold as something else (commonly Ecstasy).