“Deadly Drug” .. Controversial Cancer-Fighting Narcotic
A study has revealed that ketamine, widely known as the “horse tranquilizer” and “recreational drug,” may have the ability to kill cancer cells.
Published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, the study suggests that ketamine may inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells, particularly in cases of brain and lung cancer.
Ketamine is extensively used in veterinary medicine to anesthetize animals, as it induces a euphoric state while alleviating pain and providing sedation.
Despite its medical uses, the drug has a controversial reputation due to its recreational use. Risks associated with ketamine include addiction, hallucinations, and, in extreme cases, death, as seen in the case of “Friends” star Matthew Perry, who died due to the “acute effects” of ketamine last October.
Despite not yet proving its success in humans, scientists at Imperial College London, Hiroshima University, Nippon Medical School in Japan, and the National Clinical Research Center for Child Health in China hope to see similar results in further laboratory studies and among patients.
According to the Daily Mail, in-depth studies involving thousands of cancer patients will be needed before ketamine can be considered as a treatment, meaning any development is still years away at best.
In laboratory tests, human lung and brain cancer cells removed from the body and grown in a nurturing environment were exposed to different concentrations of ketamine. Scientists captured images of the samples and used lasers to analyze them before and after 24 hours of exposure to the drug.
The results showed the suppression of cancer cell growth and spread, with the most significant impact observed in cells exposed to the highest ketamine dose. This indicates a significant reduction in the aggressiveness of cancer cells.
The results also revealed a significant increase in the number of cells in the late-stage programmed cell death, where tumors destroy themselves.
The drug appears to exert its effects by inhibiting a specific receptor known as N N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA, which plays a crucial role in regulating tumor size and spread.
The team noted that they used “relatively high” concentrations of ketamine in the study and emphasized that the results do not necessarily mean the drug will work in the same way on patients.
