Dapsone (oral)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Chetan Lokhande, M.B.B.S [2]
Overview
Dapsone (diamino-diphenyl sulphone) is an pharmacological medication most commonly used in combination with rifampicin and clofazimine as multidrug therapy (MDT) for the treatment of Mycobacterium leprae infections (leprosy).
Category
Sulfone
US Brand Names
DAPSONE®
FDA Package Insert
Description | Clinical Pharmacology | Microbiology | Indications and Usage | Contraindications | Warnings and Precautions | Adverse Reactions | Drug Interactions | Overdosage | Clinical Studies | Dosage and Administration | How Supplied | Labels and Packages
Mechanism of Action
As an antibacterial, dapsone inhibits bacterial synthesis of dihydrofolic acid. Though structurally distinct from dapsone, the sulfonamide group of antibacterial drugs also work in this way.
When used for the treatment of skin conditions in which bacteria do not have a role, the mechanism or action of dapsone is less well understood.