What Is Dapsone?

Dapsone appears to be a prescription medication. It may have first appeared in the 1940s to treat leprosy. These patients, along with individuals who have dermatitis herpetiformis, seem to take oral tablets. However, this medication may help acne patients when it is used topically. The dosage appears to vary based on the patient's condition. Some leprosy patients may take one hundred milligrams daily for six months. Patients with dermatitis may need fifty to three hundred milligrams daily for the rest of their lives. Most individuals seem to need regular tests and monitoring when they take this medication.

Patients may use this medication topically as a prescription acne treatment. Most individuals seem to apply a topical gel for acne. However, they may choose to try other antibiotics for acne. Dapsone tablets may act as a leprosy treatment. Most individuals seem to need other medications along with this one to try preventing antibiotic resistance. Of course, individuals may want to understand how dapsone works before they think about taking it in any form.

How It Should Work

Dapsone seems to be a sulfone antibiotic. Some patients may receive it under the brand Aczone as a topical gel. This medication may stop the growth of bacteria. It appears that this may happen by blocking dihydrofolic acid synthesis. This acid seems to be a derivative of vitamin B9. Dapsone may block this acid's synthesis by causing competition with PABA.

This medication may be an anti-inflammatory as well. It may help block an enzyme from working in the body. The specific enzyme it may block seems to be myeloperoxidase. If this blockage happens, hypochlorous acid may not build in the patient's body. This may reduce the tissue damage caused by inflammation. Some evidence seems to indicate that this medication may also help reduce inflammation from conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Continue reading to uncover information on the potential uses for this medication next.