Apigenin

What is apigenin?

Apigenin is a flavonoid, a type of plant compound, found in chamomile, parsley, celery and some other herbs and vegetables. It is often described as the compound behind chamomile’s reputation as a calming tea. In supplements it is sold as a purified extract or delivered through chamomile extracts.

What the research says

Most of the direct evidence for apigenin and sleep comes from laboratory and animal studies. A 2024 review notes that apigenin has sedative effects in mice and rats and interacts with several targets, including GABA receptors, and that dietary apigenin intake has been linked with better sleep quality in a large observational study. The authors point to chamomile trials as the main human support (Front Nutr, 2024).

The chamomile data are mixed. A 2019 meta-analysis reported improved sleep quality across several chamomile trials, but only one trial looked at insomnia, and it found no significant change in insomnia severity (Phytother Res, 2019). In that pilot trial of 34 adults with chronic primary insomnia, a standardized chamomile extract did not significantly improve sleep diary measures compared with placebo over 28 days (Zick et al., BMC Complement Altern Med). NCCIH concludes there is no conclusive evidence that chamomile helps insomnia (NCCIH).

We found no well-controlled human trials of isolated apigenin supplements for sleep, so its evidence level is preliminary.

There is also a practical gap between research and products. Chamomile extracts and teas contain apigenin alongside many other compounds, and their apigenin content varies. Isolated apigenin is poorly soluble in water, and little is known about how much of an oral dose reaches the brain in people. As a result, a blend that lists apigenin without a dose, or with a dose unrelated to the chamomile studies, cannot borrow those results with confidence.

How it’s used in supplements

Apigenin appears in sleep and relaxation blends and as a single-ingredient capsule, often around 50 mg, although there is no established dose. Chamomile is sold as tea, extract and capsules.

Because apigenin is concentrated in chamomile, chamomile’s safety notes are relevant. NCCIH lists nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions, which are more likely in people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies. Chamomile might have estrogen-like effects, and interactions with warfarin and some drugs processed by the liver have been reported, with theoretical concerns about sedatives. Talk to your doctor before using apigenin supplements if you take blood thinners or sedatives, have a hormone-sensitive condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.