Drug & supplement interaction

Alpha-lipoic Acid + Dapsone

Dapsone brand names: Dapsone, Avlosulfon, Aczone.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Dapsone and Alpha-lipoic Acid in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Alpha-lipoic Acid safety at a glance

Alpha-lipoic Acid overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in most adults, but it can lower blood sugar and is best used under medical guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough reliable safety information, so it is best to avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough reliable safety information, so it is best to avoid while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Dapsone and Alpha-lipoic Acid? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Dapsone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Dapsone is filed under 7 classifications — including antibiotic drugs, topical drugs, photosensitizing drugs. Alpha-lipoic Acid has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — the most serious being alkylating agents (moderate), anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) and antitumor antibiotics (moderate) — and none of Dapsone’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Alpha-lipoic Acid Does Interact With Other Medications

Alpha-lipoic Acid has 177 moderate, 86 minor known drug interactions in our database — Dapsone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Alpha-lipoic Acid

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Alpha-lipoic Acid. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Itching Additional detail

    Alpha-lipoic Acid

    “Orally, skin rash and itching have been reported after use of alpha-lipoic acid. Topically, alpha-lipoic acid can cause local irritation, including burning, stinging, mild rash, or contact dermatitis. In one case, an 86-year-old female developed allergic contact dermatitis with severe itching and oozing after applying alpha-lipoic acid 5% cream to her lower extremities.”

    Alpha-lipoic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 16391. Vincent HK, Bourguignon CM, Vincent KR, Taylor AG. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation in peripheral arterial disease: a pilot study. J Alt Complement Med 2007;13:577-84. PubMed
    2. 20490. Porasuphatana S., Suddee S., Nartnampong A., Konsil J., Harnwong B., Santaweesuk A. Glycemic and oxidative status of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus following oral administration of alpha-lipoic acid: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled
    3. 21674. Koh E. H., Lee W. J., Lee S. A., Kim E. H., Cho E. H., Jeong E., Kim D. W., Kim M. S., Park J. Y., Park K. G., Lee H. J., Lee I. K., Lim S., Jang H. C., Lee K. H., Lee K. U. Effects of alpha-lipoic Acid on body weight in obese subjects. Am J Med 2011;124( PubMed
    4. 96233. Boriani F, Granchi D, Roatti G, Merlini L, Sabattini T, Baldini N. Alpha-lipoic acid after median nerve decompression at the carpal tunnel: a randomized controlled trial. J Hand Surg Am. 2017 Apr;42(4):236-42. PubMed
    5. 104650. Derosa G, D'Angelo A, Preti P, Maffioli P. Safety and efficacy of alpha lipoic acid during 4 years of observation: A retrospective, clinical trial in healthy subjects in primary prevention. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2020;14:5367-5374.
    6. 12021. Beitner H. Randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind study on the clinical efficacy of a cream containing 5% alpha-lipoic acid related to photoaging of facial skin. Br J Dermatol 2003;149:841-9.

    Dapsone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Dapsone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash reported in 3.7% of FDA reports for Dapsone Additional detail

    Alpha-lipoic Acid

    “Alpha-lipoic acid appears to be generally well tolerated when used orally, intravenously, or topically.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Headache, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.

    Topically: Irritation and rash.

    Intravenously: Nausea and vomiting.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Case reports have raised concerns about insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS).”

    Alpha-lipoic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    Dapsone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Dapsone, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Vomiting Additional detail

    Alpha-lipoic Acid

    “Orally, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting have been reported after use of alpha-lipoic acid. Higher doses (1200-1800 mg daily) seem to cause more severe effects than lower doses (600 mg daily). Alpha-lipoic acid may also cause a burning sensation from the throat to the stomach, abdominal discomfort, or bitter taste when used orally.”

    Alpha-lipoic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dyspepsia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 3557. Ziegler D, Hanefeld M, Ruhnau KJ, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid: A 3-week, multicentre randomized controlled trial (ALADIN Study). Diabetologia 1995;38:1425-33.
    2. 12106. Ziegler D, Nowak H, Kempler P, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid: A meta-analysis. Diabet Med 2004;21:114-21.
    3. 16391. Vincent HK, Bourguignon CM, Vincent KR, Taylor AG. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation in peripheral arterial disease: a pilot study. J Alt Complement Med 2007;13:577-84. PubMed
    4. 20475. Ziegler D., Ametov A., Barinov A., Dyck P. J., Gurieva I., Low P. A., Munzel U., Yakhno N., Raz I., Novosadova M., Maus J., Samigullin, R. Oral treatment with alpha-lipoic acid improves symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy: the SYDNEY 2 trial. Diabetes Car
    5. 30844. Tang, J., Wingerchuk, D. M., Crum, B. A., Rubin, D. I., and Demaerschalk, B. M. Alpha-lipoic acid may improve symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy. Neurologist. 2007;13(3):164-167. PubMed
    6. 96225. Sarezky D, Raquib AR, Dunaief JL, Kim BJ. Tolerability in the elderly population of high-dose alpha lipoic acid: a potential antioxidant therapy for the eye. Clin Ophthalmol. 2016 Sep 29;10:1899-1903. PubMed

    Dapsone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Dapsone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache Additional detail

    Alpha-lipoic Acid

    “Orally, alpha-lipoic acid may cause headache or dizziness.

    Intravenously, paresthesias have been reported to worsen temporarily at the beginning of therapy. Also, intravenous alpha-lipoic acid can cause headache. Adverse effects are more common in patients receiving higher intravenous doses.”

    Alpha-lipoic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    5 sources cited
    1. 21664. Cavalcanti D. R., da Silveira F. R. Alpha lipoic acid in burning mouth syndrome--a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. J Oral Pathol Med 2009;38(3):254-261. PubMed
    2. 103328. Passiatore M, Perna A, De-Vitis R, Taccardo G. The use of alfa-lipoic acid-R (ALA-R) in patients with mild-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome: A randomised controlled open label prospective study. Malays Orthop J. 2020;14(1):1-6. PubMed
    3. 104655. Gilron I, Robb S, Tu D, et al. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial of alpha-lipoic acid for the treatment of fibromyalgia pain: the IMPALA trial. Pain. 2021;162(2):561-568. PubMed
    4. 104650. Derosa G, D'Angelo A, Preti P, Maffioli P. Safety and efficacy of alpha lipoic acid during 4 years of observation: A retrospective, clinical trial in healthy subjects in primary prevention. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2020;14:5367-5374.
    5. 3557. Ziegler D, Hanefeld M, Ruhnau KJ, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid: A 3-week, multicentre randomized controlled trial (ALADIN Study). Diabetologia 1995;38:1425-33.

    Dapsone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Dapsone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Alpha-lipoic Acid but not commonly for Dapsone: stomach upset, an allergic reaction, blurred vision and a change in taste.

Effects for Dapsone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Alpha-lipoic Acid come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 10,640 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Dapsone that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dapsone

This page covers Alpha-lipoic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dapsone page lists 215 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Para-aminobenzoic Acid (paba) (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 167 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dapsone page

“Dapsone treats serious conditions, from dermatitis herpetiformis to leprosy, and its supplement list is one I'd want a patient to read closely rather than skim. Most entries touch how the body handles dapsone through the CYP3A4 enzyme, so grapefruit can raise its blood level while St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dapsone interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Alpha-lipoic Acid as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 4,223 real supplement products containing Alpha-lipoic Acid, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Alpha-lipoic Acid. Even though Alpha-lipoic Acid itself has no known interaction with Dapsone, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Alpha-lipoic Acid
Top 5%

#34 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Dapsone
Top 10%

#175 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Alpha-lipoic Acid reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Alpha-lipoic Acid

What is Alpha-lipoic Acid?

Alpha-lipoic Acid
  • Diabetic nerve pain (neuropathy)
  • Blood sugar support in diabetes
  • Antioxidant support
  • Liver health
  • Skin aging (topical and oral)

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant made naturally by the body and found in small amounts in foods. It is most studied for diabetic nerve pain, where some evidence suggests it may help, but evidence for most other uses is limited. It is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have diabetes or thyroid problems.

Not applicable (a naturally occurring compound, not a plant part) · Capsules, tablets, softgels, and injectable forms (used in some countries)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Alpha-lipoic Acid is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Alpha-lipoic Acid record says about it on its own.

Alpha-lipoic Acid: dosing

There is no single official or standardized dose of alpha-lipoic acid. Doses used in studies have varied widely depending on the condition and whether the oral or injectable form was used.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and choose a product from a reputable brand.

From our Alpha-lipoic Acid monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Alpha-lipoic Acid monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dapsone

What Is Dapsone Used For?

Brand names: Dapsone, Avlosulfon, Aczone

Dapsone tablets are used to treat dermatitis herpetiformis (a chronic, intensely itchy blistering skin condition) and leprosy (all forms, except where proven resistance to dapsone exists). For leprosy, dapsone tablets are typically used in combination with other anti-leprosy medicines.

Aczone Gel (dapsone gel, 7.5%) and dapsone gel are indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 9 years of age and older. This topical form is applied to the skin and is not used for leprosy or dermatitis herpetiformis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Dapsone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (10,640 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 487 reports
Methaemoglobinaemia 481 reports
Fatigue 477 reports
Fever 468 reports
Diarrhea 424 reports
See full Dapsone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Alpha-lipoic Acid

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Alpha-lipoic Acid — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
177Moderate
86Minor
2,566No known interaction
Moderate

177 interactions

Showing 60 of 177 moderate interactions — see all 177 on the Alpha-lipoic Acid page.

Minor

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 minor interactions — see all 86 on the Alpha-lipoic Acid page.

No interaction 2,566 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Alpha-lipoic Acid References

The 48 references that drive our Alpha-lipoic Acid monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Labriola D, Livingston R. Possible interactions between dietary antioxidants and chemotherapy. Oncology 1999;13:1003-8.
  2. Anon. Alpha-lipoic acid. Altern Med Rev 1998;3:308-10.
  3. Konrad T, Vicini P, Kusterer K, et al. Alpha-lipoic acid treatment decreases serum lactate and pyruvate concentrations and improves glucose effectiveness in lean and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 1999;22:280-7. PubMed
  4. Ziegler D, Hanefeld M, Ruhnau KJ, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid: A 3-week, multicentre randomized controlled trial (ALADIN Study). Diabetologia 1995;38:1425-33.
  5. Gleiter CH, Schreeb KH, Freudenthaler S, et al. Lack of interaction between thioctic acid, glibenclamide and acarbose. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1999;48:819-25. PubMed
  6. Jacob S, Henriksen EJ, Tritschler HJ, et al. Improvement of insulin-stimulated glucose-disposal in type 2 diabetes after repeated parenteral administration of thioctic acid. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabet 1996;104:284-8. PubMed
  7. Jacob S, Henriksen EJ, Schiemann AL, et al. Enhancement of glucose disposal in patients with type 2 diabetes by alpha-lipoic acid. Arzneimittelforschung 1995;45:872-4.
  8. Jacob S, Ruus P, Hermann R, et al. Oral administration of RAC-alpha-lipoic acid modulates insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled, pilot trial. Free Rad Biol Med 1999;27:309-14.
  9. Segermann J, Hotze A, Ulrich H, Rao GS. Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on the peripheral conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine and on serum lipid-, protein- and glucose levels. Arzneimittelforschung 1991;41:1294-8.
  10. Beitner H. Randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind study on the clinical efficacy of a cream containing 5% alpha-lipoic acid related to photoaging of facial skin. Br J Dermatol 2003;149:841-9.
  11. Ziegler D, Nowak H, Kempler P, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid: A meta-analysis. Diabet Med 2004;21:114-21.
  12. Prasad KN. Rationale for using high-dose multiple dietary antioxidants as an adjunct to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. J Nutr 2004;134:3182S-3S. PubMed
  13. Conklin KA. Cancer chemotherapy and antioxidants. J Nutr 2004;134:3201S-3204S. PubMed
  14. Vincent HK, Bourguignon CM, Vincent KR, Taylor AG. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation in peripheral arterial disease: a pilot study. J Alt Complement Med 2007;13:577-84. PubMed
  15. Furukawa N, Miyamura N, Nishida K, et al. Possible relevance of alpha lipoic acid contained in a health supplement in a case of insulin autoimmune syndrome. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2007;75:366-7. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Alpha-lipoic Acid with Dapsone?
We do not list a known interaction between Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Alpha-lipoic Acid and Dapsone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Dapsone is filed under 7 classifications, and Alpha-lipoic Acid has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — none of Dapsone's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Alpha-lipoic Acid interact with any other medications?
Yes. Alpha-lipoic Acid has 263 documented drug interactions in our database — Dapsone is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Dapsone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Dapsone has documented interactions with 215 supplements in our database — Alpha-lipoic Acid is not one of them. The Dapsone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Dapsone and Alpha-lipoic Acid?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.