Select a medication above to begin.
dapsone
generic
Adult Dosing .
Dosage forms: TAB: 25 mg, 100 mg
leprosy (Hansen disease), paucibacillary
- [100 mg PO qd x6mo]
- Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 6mo in non-resistant refractory cases
leprosy (Hansen disease), multibacillary
- [100 mg PO qd x12mo]
- Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 12mo in non-resistant refractory cases
dermatitis herpetiformis
- [50 mg PO qd]
PCP prophylaxis (off-label)
- [monotherapy]
- Dose: 100 mg/day PO divided qd-bid; Info: not 1st-line agent
- [combo tx with pyrimethamine, leucovorin]
- Dose: 50 mg PO qd; Alt: 200 mg PO qwk; Info: not 1st-line agent
PCP tx, mild-moderate (off-label)
- [100 mg PO qd x21 days]
- Info: not 1st-line agent; give with trimethoprim
toxoplasmosis prophylaxis, primary (off-label)
- [50 mg PO qd]
- Alt: 200 mg PO qwk; Info: not 1st-line agent; give with pyrimethamine, leucovorin
renal dosing
- [no adjustment]
- renal impairment: no adjustment
- HD: no adjustment, on dialysis days administer after dialysis; consider supplement if next maintenance dose not due right after dialysis; PD: no adjustment; no supplement
hepatic dosing
- [see below]
- hepatic impairment: not defined, caution advised
Peds Dosing .
- Dosage forms: TAB: 25 mg, 100 mg
leprosy (Hansen disease), paucibacillary
- [<10 yo]
- Dose: 2 mg/kg/dose PO qd x6mo; Max: 50 mg/dose; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 6mo in non-resistant refractory cases
- [10-14 yo]
- Dose: 50 mg PO qd x6mo; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 6mo in non-resistant refractory cases
- [15 yo and older]
- Dose: 100 mg PO qd x6mo; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 6mo in non-resistant refractory cases
leprosy (Hansen disease), multibacillary
- [<10 yo]
- Dose: 2 mg/kg/dose PO qd x12mo; Max: 50 mg/dose; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 12mo in non-resistant refractory cases
- [10-14 yo]
- Dose: 50 mg PO qd x12mo; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 12mo in non-resistant refractory cases
- [15 yo and older]
- Dose: 100 mg PO qd x12mo; Info: part of multi-drug regimen; consider dapsone resistance if no response within 3-6mo; may continue tx beyond 12mo in non-resistant refractory cases
PCP prophylaxis (off-label)
- [1 mo and older]
- Dose: 2 mg/kg/dose PO qd; Alt: 4 mg/kg/dose PO qwk; Max: 100 mg/dose if qd, 200 mg/dose if qwk; Info: not 1st-line agent
toxoplasmosis prophylaxis, primary (off-label)
- [1 mo and older]
- Dose: 2 mg/kg/dose PO qd; Alt: 15 mg/m^2/dose PO qd; Max: 25 mg/day; Info: not 1st-line agent; give with pyrimethamine, leucovorin
renal dosing
- [no adjustment]
- renal impairment: no adjustment
- HD: no adjustment, on dialysis days administer after dialysis; consider supplement if next maintenance dose not due right after dialysis; PD: no adjustment; no supplement
hepatic dosing
- [see below]
- hepatic impairment: not defined, caution advised
Contraindications / Cautions .
- hypersensitivity to drug or ingredient
- hypersensitivity to sulfonamides, severe
- avoid: sun exposure
- caution: hepatic impairment
- caution: cardiovascular function, impaired
- caution: methemoglobinemia
- caution: G6PD deficiency
Drug Interactions .
Overview
dapsone
antimicrobial
- CYP2C8 substrate
- CYP2C9 substrate
- CYP3A4 substrate
- affected by altered gastrointestinal motility
- alters GI flora
- impairs immunomodulatory bacterial infective agent
- methemoglobinemia
- myelosuppressive effects
- photosensitivity
Contraindicated
- lidocaine topical
- prilocaine topical
Avoid/Use Alternative
- aminolevulinic acid topical
- BCG live intravesical
- bremelanotide
- chloramphenicol
- cholera vaccine, live
- cladribine oral
- deferiprone
- fexinidazole
- ganciclovir
- methotrexate
- porfimer
- primaquine
- radium Ra 223 dichloride
- ropeginterferon alfa-2b
- typhoid vaccine, live
- valganciclovir
Monitor/Modify Tx
- abemaciclib
- acalabrutinib
- ado-trastuzumab emtansine
- afamitresgene autoleucel
- albendazole
- aldesleukin
- alemtuzumab
- allopurinol
- anti-thymocyte globulin
- arsenic trioxide
- asciminib
- atidarsagene autotemcel
- auranofin
- axicabtagene ciloleucel
- azacitidine
- azathioprine
- balsalazide
- baricitinib
- belantamab mafodotin
- belinostat
- bendamustine
- benznidazole
- betibeglogene autotemcel
- bevacizumab
- bexarotene
- blinatumomab
- bortezomib
- bosutinib
- brentuximab vedotin
- brexucabtagene autoleucel
- busulfan
- cabazitaxel
- capecitabine
- carboplatin
- carfilzomib
- carmustine
- chlorambucil
- cidofovir
- ciltacabtagene autoleucel
- cisplatin
- cladribine injection
- clofarabine
- clozapine
- colchicine
- copanlisib
- copper histidinate
- crizotinib
- cyclophosphamide
- cytarabine
- dacarbazine
- dactinomycin
- daratumumab
- dasatinib
- daunorubicin
- decitabine
- deferasirox
- deuruxolitinib
- dexrazoxane
- dinutuximab
- docetaxel
- dostarlimab
- doxorubicin
- duvelisib
- eflornithine
- elivaldogene autotemcel
- elranatamab
- enfortumab vedotin
- entrectinib
- epcoritamab
- epirubicin
- eribulin
- etoposide
- etuvetidigene autotemcel
- everolimus
- exagamglogene autotemcel
- exenatide
- fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan
- fedratinib
- floxuridine
- flucytosine
- fludarabine
- fluorouracil
- fluphenazine
- flutamide
- foscarnet
- fosfomycin injection
- fostamatinib
- gemcitabine
- gemtuzumab ozogamicin
- givinostat
- glasdegib
- glofitamab
- hydroxychloroquine
- hydroxyurea
- ibritumomab tiuxetan
- ibrutinib
- idarubicin
- idecabtagene vicleucel
- idelalisib
- ifosfamide
- imatinib
- imetelstat
- inotuzumab ozogamicin
- interferon beta 1a
- interferon beta 1b
- interferon gamma 1b
- irinotecan
- isatuximab
- ivosidenib
- ixabepilone
- leflunomide
- lenalidomide
- lifileucel
- linezolid
- linvoseltamab
- lisocabtagene maraleucel
- lixisenatide
- lomustine
- lonafarnib
- loncastuximab tesirine
- lovotibeglogene autotemcel
- lurbinectedin
- lutetium Lu 177 dotatate
- lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan
- lymphocyte immune globulin, anti-thymocyte globulin
- melphalan
- mercaptopurine
- mesalamine
- mesalamine rectal
- midostaurin
- mitomycin
- mitotane
- mitoxantrone
- mogamulizumab
- momelotinib
- mosunetuzumab
- mycophenolate mofetil
- mycophenolic acid
- nelarabine
- nilotinib
- niraparib
- nitric oxide
- nitrite
- obecabtagene autoleucel
- obinutuzumab
- ofatumumab
- olaparib
- olsalazine
- oxaliplatin
- paclitaxel
- pacritinib
- palbociclib
- peginterferon alfa 2a
- peginterferon beta 1a
- pemetrexed
- penicillamine
- pentamidine
- pentostatin
- pirtobrutinib
- polatuzumab vedotin
- pomalidomide
- ponatinib
- pralatrexate
- pramlintide
- procarbazine
- proguanil
- pyrimethamine
- quizartinib
- ribavirin
- ribociclib
- rifabutin
- rituximab
- romidepsin
- rucaparib
- ruxolitinib
- ruxolitinib topical
- sacituzumab govitecan
- sarilumab
- satralizumab
- selinexor
- sirolimus
- sirolimus albumin-bound
- stiripentol
- streptozocin
- succimer
- sulfasalazine
- tafasitamab
- tagraxofusp
- talazoparib
- talquetamab
- tarlatamab
- tazemetostat
- teclistamab
- temozolomide
- temsirolimus
- teplizumab
- teriflunomide
- thalidomide
- thioguanine
- thiotepa
- tisagenlecleucel
- tocilizumab
- tofacitinib
- topotecan
- trabectedin
- trastuzumab
- treosulfan
- trifluridine
- trimethoprim
- upadacitinib
- valproic acid
- vancomycin
- venetoclax
- vinblastine
- vincristine
- vinorelbine
- warfarin
- zanubrutinib
- zidovudine
- ziv-aflibercept
Caution Advised
- acitretin
- apalutamide
- articaine
- benzocaine topical
- bosentan
- bupivacaine
- bupivacaine liposomal
- butalbital
- butamben
- carbamazepine
- cenobamate
- chloroprocaine
- dabrafenib
- dapsone topical
- dulaglutide
- efavirenz
- encorafenib
- enzalutamide
- etravirine
- fecal microbiota, live
- fosphenytoin
- isosorbide dinitrate
- isosorbide mononitrate
- lactulose
- lidocaine
- liraglutide
- lorlatinib
- lumacaftor/ivacaftor
- mavacamten
- mepivacaine
- methoxsalen
- metoclopramide
- mitapivat
- modafinil
- nafcillin
- nitrofurantoin
- nitroglycerin
- nitroprusside
- orforglipron
- pentobarbital
- pexidartinib
- phenobarbital
- phenytoin
- primidone
- probenecid
- procaine
- rasburicase
- repotrectinib
- resorcinol topical
- rifampin
- rifapentine
- ropivacaine
- sodium picosulfate
- sotorasib
- St. John's wort
- sulfadiazine
- sulfamethoxazole
- tafenoquine
- tetracaine
- tirzepatide
- verteporfin
Adverse Reactions .
Serious Reactions
- hemolytic anemia
- aplastic anemia
- agranulocytosis
- exfoliative dermatitis
- erythema multiforme
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- photosensitivity
- methemoglobinemia
- acute tubular necrosis
- peripheral neuropathy
- hepatotoxicity
Common Reactions
- fever
- myalgia
- headache
- rigors
- fatigue
- malaise
- dizziness
- nausea
- arthralgia
- pancreatitis
- photosensitivity
- rash
- urticaria
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- anorexia
- blurred vision
- tinnitus
- albuminuria
- LFTs elevated
Safety/Monitoring .
Monitoring Parameters
G6PD before tx start; CBC qwk x4, qmo x6, then q6mo thereafter; LFTs at baseline, then periodically
Look/Sound-Alike Drug Names
dapsone confused with: danazol
Pregnancy/Lactation .
Pregnancy
Clinical Summary
benefits outweigh risks during pregnancy; possible risk of teratogenicity and hemolytic anemia based on limited human data
Lactation
Clinical Summary
weigh risk/benefit while breastfeeding; possible risk of infant hemolytic anemia based on limited human data and drug's mechanism of action; no human data available to assess effects on milk production
Pharmacology .
Metabolism: for dapsone: liver extensively; CYP450: 2C9, 3A substrate; Info: toxic metabolite
Excretion: for dapsone: urine primarily (20% unchanged); Half-life: 28h
Subclass: Antiparasitics ; Folate Antagonists, Antimicrobial ; Leprosy (Hansen Disease) ; Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)
Mechanism of Action
for dapsone: competes with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), inhibiting folic acid synthesis (sulfone)
Formulary .
No Formulary Selected
Join Now to View Patient Handouts!
Create a FREE epocrates Online account to access patient medication instructions. Your patients and caregivers will appreciate you printing these friendly handouts, available in English and Spanish. Each handout addresses common concerns such as how to take the medication, and possible side effects.
Current Members: Sign In.
Pill Pictures
Join Now to View Pill Pictures!
Create a FREE epocrates Online account to access full-color images of medications within the drug monograph.
Current Members: Sign In.