Apigenin vs Luteolin
Two dietary flavonoids marketed on adjacent claims — sleep and NAD⁺ for one, mast-cell and neuroinflammation for the other — with the same underlying problem: almost no human trial data on the isolated compound itself.
Short answer
Apigenin and luteolin are both graded preclinical / minimal, which leaves little or no controlled human data to choose between them. Apigenin is the one sold for sleep, relaxation and CD38/NAD⁺ support, while luteolin targets mast-cell stabilization, brain fog and neuroinflammation. Both are sold over the counter as supplements.
Apigenin
Found in chamomile, parsley, celery
The CD38-inhibition/NAD⁺ story is mechanistic and mouse-derived; the only real human RCT evidence is for whole chamomile extract (which contains apigenin among many compounds) in generalized anxiety disorder, not for isolated apigenin or for sleep specifically.
Full Apigenin evidence reviewLuteolin
3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone, cynaroside
A genuinely strong mast-cell and microglial mechanism whose entire human record is combination products — and the one placebo-controlled test of luteolin alone was negative.
Full Luteolin evidence reviewApigenin vs Luteolin: head to head
- FDA status / approved use
Apigenin
Sold as an isolated supplementLuteolin
Sold as a dietary supplement; no FDA approval for any indication- Marketed for
Apigenin
Sleep, relaxation, CD38/NAD⁺ supportLuteolin
Mast-cell stabilization, brain fog / neuroinflammation, allergy, senolytic- Outcome areas
Apigenin
Sleep; Mood / anxiety / stress; Mitochondrial / cellular energyLuteolin
Immune function / inflammation; Cognitive function / memory; Cellular senescence- Evidence grade
Apigenin
Preclinical / minimalLuteolin
Preclinical / minimal- How it works
Apigenin
Binds benzodiazepine sites on GABA-A receptors; inhibits CD38, an NAD+-consuming enzymeLuteolin
Inhibits mast-cell release of histamine and other mediators in lab studies- Route and dosing
Apigenin
Oral supplementLuteolin
Oral capsule, typically 100–300 mg daily- Headline human result
Apigenin
Not establishedLuteolin
No benefit over placebo at either dose in a crossover screening trial of 21 Gulf War Illness veterans- Strongest evidence
Apigenin
Chamomile extract RCT, J Clin Psychopharmacol 2009. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed useApigenin evidence reviewPubMed 19593179Luteolin
Placebo-controlled crossover screen, IJERPH 2021. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed useLuteolin evidence reviewPubMed 33802381- Key safety signal
Apigenin
Described in reviews as having a favorable safety and tolerability profileLuteolin
No long-term human safety data at supplement doses; inhibits CYP1A2 and CYP2C8 in lab studies- How it is obtained
Apigenin
Over the counter as a dietary supplementLuteolin
Over the counter as a dietary supplement
| Apigenin | Luteolin | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA status / approved use | Sold as an isolated supplement | Sold as a dietary supplement; no FDA approval for any indication |
| Marketed for | Sleep, relaxation, CD38/NAD⁺ support | Mast-cell stabilization, brain fog / neuroinflammation, allergy, senolytic |
| Outcome areas | Sleep; Mood / anxiety / stress; Mitochondrial / cellular energy | Immune function / inflammation; Cognitive function / memory; Cellular senescence |
| Evidence grade | Preclinical / minimal | Preclinical / minimal |
| How it works | Binds benzodiazepine sites on GABA-A receptors; inhibits CD38, an NAD+-consuming enzyme | Inhibits mast-cell release of histamine and other mediators in lab studies |
| Route and dosing | Oral supplement | Oral capsule, typically 100–300 mg daily |
| Headline human result | Not established | No benefit over placebo at either dose in a crossover screening trial of 21 Gulf War Illness veterans |
| Strongest evidence | Chamomile extract RCT, J Clin Psychopharmacol 2009. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed useApigenin evidence reviewPubMed 19593179 | Placebo-controlled crossover screen, IJERPH 2021. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed useLuteolin evidence reviewPubMed 33802381 |
| Key safety signal | Described in reviews as having a favorable safety and tolerability profile | No long-term human safety data at supplement doses; inhibits CYP1A2 and CYP2C8 in lab studies |
| How it is obtained | Over the counter as a dietary supplement | Over the counter as a dietary supplement |
marks a row where the two differ. “Not established” marks a cell the available evidence does not answer. Evidence grades come from our evidence matrix, which grades each molecule on the human data for the use it is marketed for.
- Preclinical / minimal:
- Evidence is largely animal, in-vitro, or anecdotal. Little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed use.
Our verdict
Apigenin's best human evidence is for whole chamomile extract in generalized anxiety disorder, not for isolated apigenin or for sleep specifically. Luteolin's human evidence is the same shape — real mast-cell biology in the lab, but almost every human trial tested it inside a combination formula, not alone. Both are cases where a real, specific lab mechanism gets marketed several steps beyond what any trial has shown for the pure compound.
Apigenin fits if
Sleep or a CD38/NAD⁺ angle is the specific interest, understanding the human case rests on chamomile extract, not apigenin alone.
Luteolin fits if
Mast-cell-related symptoms are the target, understanding almost no trial isolated luteolin's own contribution from the combination formulas it was tested in.
Apigenin vs Luteolin: common questions
- Is either apigenin or luteolin FDA-approved?
- No. Apigenin is sold as an isolated supplement. Luteolin is sold as a dietary supplement; no FDA approval for any indication.
- Which has stronger human evidence, apigenin or luteolin?
- Neither. Both are graded preclinical / minimal, with little or no controlled human outcome data for the marketed use. The key source for apigenin is Chamomile extract RCT, J Clin Psychopharmacol 2009; for luteolin, it is placebo-controlled crossover screen, IJERPH 2021.
- What are the main safety concerns with apigenin and luteolin?
- Apigenin is described in reviews as having a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Luteolin has no long-term human safety data at supplement doses; inhibits CYP1A2 and CYP2C8 in lab studies.
Key studies behind each
Apigenin
- Viola H, Wasowski C, Levi de Stein M, Wolfman C, et al. (1995). Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects. Planta Med. PubMed 7617761
- Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, Rockwell K, et al. (2009). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. PubMed 19593179
- Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, et al. (2016). Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine. PubMed 27912875
- Zick SM, Wright BD, Sen A, Arnedt JT. (2011). Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. PubMed 21939549
Luteolin
- Shi M, Chen Z, Gong H, Peng Z, Sun Q, Luo K, Wu B, Wen C, Lin W. (2024). Luteolin, a flavone ingredient: Anticancer mechanisms, combined medication strategy, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, and pharmaceutical researches. Phytother Res. PubMed 38088265
- Sampson L, Rimm E, Hollman PC, de Vries JH, Katan MB. (2002). Flavonol and flavone intakes in US health professionals. J Am Diet Assoc. PubMed 12396158
- Shimoi K, Okada H, Furugori M, Goda T, Takase S, Suzuki M, Hara Y, Yamamoto H, Kinae N. (1998). Intestinal absorption of luteolin and luteolin 7-O-beta-glucoside in rats and humans. FEBS Lett. PubMed 9827549
- Tsilioni I, Theoharides TC. (2024). Luteolin Is More Potent than Cromolyn in Their Ability to Inhibit Mediator Release from Cultured Human Mast Cells. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. PubMed 38588651
The full evidence reviews
- Apigenin: what the evidence says about sleep, anxiety, and the NAD+ longevity claim
A plausible GABA-A mechanism and a CD38/NAD+ longevity hypothesis — but the human data are mostly from chamomile and preclinical models, not isolated apigenin.
Updated August 2026
- Luteolin: an excellent mechanism, and almost no human evidence
Luteolin beats the only licensed mast-cell blocker in a dish and calms microglia in aged mice — but nearly every human trial gave people a combination product, and the one placebo-controlled test of luteolin alone was negative.
Updated August 2026