What does dapsone mean?
Dapsone is a synthetic sulfone compound best known as one of the foundational drugs for treating leprosy. Introduced into medicine in the twentieth century as part of multidrug therapy alongside rifampicin and clofazimine, it works by inhibiting bacterial folate synthesis, thereby suppressing the growth of Mycobacterium leprae. Beyond infectious disease, dapsone also has anti-inflammatory applications, notably in dermatitis herpetiformis, an intensely itchy blistering skin disorder associated with coeliac disease. The word appears almost entirely in clinical, pharmacological, and scientific writing rather than general conversation. Prescribing it requires care, because dapsone carries well-recognised risks: it can cause haemolytic anaemia, especially in people with G6PD deficiency, and rarely a severe hypersensitivity reaction known as the dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. Despite these cautions, it remains on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines and continues to be a valuable, inexpensive therapeutic option worldwide.
nounDapsone is a synthetic sulfone drug used chiefly as an antibacterial agent in the treatment of leprosy and as an anti-inflammatory in certain skin conditions such as dermatitis herpetiformis.
- A synthetic antibacterial and anti-inflammatory sulfone drug (4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone) used to treat leprosy and certain dermatological conditions.
"The patient's leprosy regimen included daily doses of dapsone combined with rifampicin."
"Multidrug therapy for lepromatous leprosy typically pairs dapsone with rifampicin and clofazimine."
"Because dapsone can trigger haemolysis in G6PD-deficient patients, screening is advised before starting treatment."
Rarely pluralised; 'dapsones' would refer only to multiple distinct tablet formulations or preparations of the drug.
"The pharmacy stocked several dapsones under different brand names."
Dapsone has been a cornerstone of leprosy treatment since the mid-20th century — and it can cause dramatic skin darkening in patients who take it long-term.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dapsone
The name dapsone was coined in the early twentieth century from an abbreviation of its chemical name, diaminodiphenyl sulfone, reflecting the standard practice of shortening complex pharmaceutical nomenclature into a compact proprietary-style label. The term entered English medical usage around the time the compound was adopted for antimicrobial therapy in the 1930s and 1940s, before becoming central to leprosy treatment programmes after the Second World War.
How dapsone is actually used
A technical medical term used almost exclusively in clinical and pharmacological contexts; not part of everyday vocabulary.
Easily confused with dapsone
Diagnosis refers to the identification of a disease, whereas dapsone is a specific medication used to treat it.