Ketamine has its effect as a potent antagonist at excitatory NMDA (glutamate) receptors, where all of its anesthetic analgesic, and psychotogenic effects are mediated. Xylazine is a very different drug, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist and clonidine analogue. Xylazine is a veterinary drug used for sedation and anesthesia, and has no approved human use. Ketamine is used in human and veterinary surgery for anesthesia. It is often abused, despite the risk of psychosis, dangerous hypertension, and over-stimulation leading to dangerous risky behavior
K is an NMDA (excitatory Glutamate) receptor antagonist. While it blocks these Glu receptors, it may reduce glutamate transmission in the cortex locally, or in the short-term - but in globally and in the long-term theres evidence suggesting it increases* glutamate transmission. It may disrupt consciousness in a similar way to serotonin acting psychedelics due to a comparable final-pathway disruption of cortical pyramidal cell glutamatergic transmission. Notably, a subset of this psychedelic experience elicitable by both is near-death-like experiences.
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