What is the primary active ingredient in Spravato?

The primary active ingredient in Spravato is esketamine. Esketamine is a derivative of ketamine and is specifically formulated as a nasal spray to treat treatment-resistant depression. Its unique pharmacological properties differentiate it from its parent compound, ketamine, allowing for rapid antidepressant effects, which are particularly beneficial for individuals who have not responded to traditional antidepressant therapies.

While ketamine plays a significant role in the context of depression treatment and has garnered attention for its rapid-acting antidepressant properties, it is not the active ingredient in Spravato. Instead, Spravato utilizes esketamine’s targeted action, making it more suitable for medical use with established dosing and administration protocols. Other options listed, such as brexanolone and zuranolone, pertain to different mechanisms and formulations for treating mood disorders, but they are not components of Spravato. Thus, identifying esketamine as the active ingredient is crucial in understanding the drug's role in managing severe depression.