Leprosy Mailing List – November 18th, 2007
Ref.: Use of
Dapsone
From: Das P. K., Amsterdam, The
Netherlands
Dear Salvatore,
I have read the communication of Dr. A.
Salafia, Mumbai, (LML November 11th, 2007) about the
Dapsone being the safe drug not only being used for leprosy, and for
other kind of dermatoses.
Since I am not Clinician, I
can not comment on his experience in depth except that I have
witnessed that my dermatologist colleagues, indeed used Dapsone in
case of some of the dermatoses, as Dr Salafia cited. However, I would like to
mention two experimental examples of the after effects of Dapsone use,
one of them could be not so desirable and other one is very desirable.
Example one: Use of Dapsone could lead to
the formation of Dapsone-antiDapsone immune complexes, which may
initiate the reactions like ENL (Ref.: Das et al Lancet 1978);
Example two: Dapsone inhibits specifically
the IgA producing B cell activity as encountered in the case of IgA
Dermatitis (Das et al J. Investigative Dermatology 1983?).
However, in respect to developing anaemia,
I have my doubt and I agree completely with Dr. Salafia’s reasoning.
Pranab Kumar
