Apigenin is a plant flavonoid (technically 4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) found across a wide range of edible plants. It has drawn scientific attention for its interactions with GABA-A receptors, its influence on certain cell-cycle proteins, and its modest effect on CD38, an enzyme involved in NAD+ metabolism. Unlike many bioactive compounds that exist only in exotic or expensive botanicals, apigenin shows up in everyday foods: a cup of chamomile tea, a handful of fresh parsley, a stalk of celery.
This article maps the main dietary sources of apigenin, explains what is known about how much they contain, discusses factors that affect how much apigenin the body actually absorbs, and notes where the evidence is still early or incomplete. It is not medical advice, and no claims are made that consuming these foods will diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Key Takeaways
- Chamomile tea is described in the literature as the most usual source of apigenin intake, though that is a statement of opinion rather than a measured intake [4].
- A review of USDA data lists fresh parsley at 215.46 mg/100 g fresh weight, the highest value it reports. Food analyses use different units and methods, so figures from different studies cannot be ranked against each other [5].
- Parsley and celery, both Apiaceae, were among the 8 of 27 vegetable items in which a Korean survey could quantify total apigenin [6].
- Bioavailability varies significantly based on the glycosylated form present, gut microbiome, and food matrix: whole foods and isolated extracts behave differently in the body.
- In laboratory assays apigenin inhibits CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4; anyone on warfarin, certain statins, or benzodiazepines should speak to a physician before significantly increasing intake [7][8][9][10].
What Makes Apigenin Worth Tracking in Your Diet
Apigenin belongs to the flavone subclass of polyphenols. Flavones are defined by a double bond between positions 2 and 3 of the flavonoid backbone, and apigenin’s three hydroxyl groups at positions 4′, 5, and 7 give it a particular binding affinity for several biological targets. In cell and animal studies, it has shown interactions with benzodiazepine-binding sites on GABA-A receptors (the same sites targeted by drugs like diazepam), with cyclin-dependent kinases CDK2 and CDK6 involved in cell proliferation, and with the NAD+-consuming enzyme CD38.
Most of this mechanistic work has been done in laboratory settings using isolated compounds at concentrations that may not reflect what you absorb from food. Translating cell-culture findings to human outcomes is not straightforward, and large clinical trials on dietary apigenin in humans are limited. With that honest caveat in place, understanding which foods supply the most apigenin remains useful context for anyone paying attention to polyphenol intake.
Chamomile: The Standout Dietary Source
Dried chamomile flowers (Matricaria chamomilla) are the best-known source of apigenin, and authors describe chamomile tea as the most usual source of intake, though that is an opinion rather than a measured intake. Most of the apigenin in chamomile flowers is in glycoside forms, with only small amounts of free apigenin. How much ends up in a cup of tea depends on steeping time, water temperature, and flower origin, and a measured amount per cup is not established [4].
Research note: After healthy volunteers ate blanched parsley, plasma apigenin peaked at an average of 127 nmol/l about 7.2 hours later, with wide variation between people [2].
It is worth noting that chamomile is a sedative herb in traditional use, but researchers cannot say whether apigenin, other chamomile components, or both account for the effects seen in chamomile extract trials, and in cell studies apigenin inhibited rather than enhanced GABA activation [11][12][13]. People who take benzodiazepines, sleep medications, or other sedatives, or who consume alcohol, should be aware that chamomile tea is not a neutral, effect-free beverage. Additive sedation is a theoretical consideration. NCCIH says interactions between chamomile and some drugs metabolized by the liver, and with warfarin, have been reported, and that interactions with sedatives are theoretically possible. In laboratory assays apigenin inhibits CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4, but no clinical study shows that drinking chamomile tea changes how these drugs are metabolized [14][7][8]. Consult a physician if you take any of these medications.
From a practical standpoint, chamomile tea is a low-calorie way to obtain apigenin, mostly as glycosides, and NCCIH describes chamomile as likely safe orally in the amounts found in teas and other foods. Whether it helps with sleep or anxiety is less clear: in 55 cancer patients, chamomile tea once a day for two weeks had no effect on anxiety, and a chamomile extract insomnia pilot found no significant effect on sleep diary measures [14][15][16].
Parsley: A Concentrated Culinary Source
Fresh parsley (Petroselinum crispum) contains some of the highest apigenin concentrations of any common culinary herb. The compound is present in both flat-leaf and curly varieties, though concentrations vary. Because parsley is typically used as a garnish or in small culinary quantities rather than as a main dish ingredient, a sprig or two contributes meaningfully less total apigenin than a full cup of chamomile tea. However, people who use parsley heavily (in tabbouleh, chimichurri, Persian herb rice (sabzi polo), or Middle Eastern cooking more broadly) can accumulate a significant intake.
Dried parsley retains apigenin but at variable levels depending on drying method and storage duration. In laboratory work on celery flavones, free apigenin was most stable at pH 3 and degraded progressively at pH 5 or 7 during heating, but no study measured apigenin loss when parsley itself is cooked [17]. Parsley is also a source of vitamin K and folate, so its overall nutritional profile makes it a worthwhile addition to the diet for reasons beyond apigenin alone.
Celery, Celery Seed, and Related Apiaceae Plants
Celery (Apium graveolens) and celery seed are both recognized apigenin sources, and in a Korean vegetable survey celery leaves had higher apigenin content than celery stalks [6]. Parsley and celery were among the 8 of 27 vegetable items in which a Korean survey could quantify total apigenin, but the research does not show that the Apiaceae family as a whole is richer in apigenin than other plant families [6].
Celery seed extract is sold as a supplement, often marketed for blood pressure or uric acid support, and some of those preparations are standardized to their apigenin content. Fresh celery eaten as a snack or used in cooking provides apigenin in smaller amounts alongside dietary fiber, vitamins, and water. Fennel fronds and seeds, used commonly in Italian and Indian cooking, are lesser-known but plausible sources that have not been as extensively characterized analytically.
Other Plant Sources: Artichokes, Citrus, Wheat, and Dried Herbs
Beyond the Apiaceae family, apigenin appears in a range of other plants. Artichoke heads and leaves contain flavones including apigenin, and artichoke leaf extract is already a commercially available supplement. Citrus fruits, particularly the peel of oranges and grapefruit, contain apigenin-7-O-glucoside, a glycosylated form, alongside other citrus flavonoids. The peels themselves are rarely eaten directly in the Western diet but end up in marmalades, zests, and some extracts.
Wheat sprouts and certain grains contain apigenin in smaller amounts. Dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, and basil have been measured as polyphenol-dense foods, and while their primary flavonoids differ by species, apigenin has been detected across several of them. The consistent thread is that culinary herbs and aromatic plants tend to accumulate flavones as part of their secondary metabolite profiles: a likely defense against insects and UV radiation.
One important point about whole-food polyphenol intake: the full matrix of a plant food includes both freely extractable polyphenols and forms bound to cell wall polysaccharides that release more slowly during digestion. The human absorption data described elsewhere on this page compare forms of apigenin (free aglycone, parsley glycoside, chamomile tea glucoside), not whole foods against supplements [1].
Bioavailability: Why Source Form Matters
Apigenin in plants exists mostly in glycosylated forms: attached to sugar molecules such as glucose or apiose. The free aglycone (pure apigenin) is present in smaller quantities. Glycosylated forms must be hydrolyzed by gut bacteria or intestinal enzymes before the aglycone can be absorbed, and this process is influenced by gut microbiome composition, meal context, and the specific sugar attached. This means that two people eating the same amount of apigenin from food can absorb quite different amounts.
Apigenin’s aqueous solubility is limited, which affects how efficiently it moves across intestinal membranes. Food matrix factors (fat content of the meal, fiber, other polyphenols present) all interact with absorption. The general principle that isolated supplement doses are not equivalent to whole-food intake in terms of absorption kinetics applies here. In one human study in healthy men, free apigenin was poorly absorbed (urinary metabolites equal to 0.5% of the dose) while the glucoside in chamomile tea gave urinary excretion equal to 34% of intake. No large trials have compared forms, so definitive guidance on optimal delivery is not yet available [1].
For practical purposes, regularly including chamomile tea, fresh parsley, celery, and aromatic herbs in the diet is a reasonable, evidence-consistent way to maintain dietary apigenin intake without relying on high-dose supplements whose long-term safety profile in humans is less established.
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What Is Apigenin and Why Do Dietary Sources Matter?
Apigenin belongs to the flavone subclass of flavonoids, a broad family of plant pigments with antioxidant properties. Unlike some compounds that the human body produces in meaningful amounts on its own, apigenin must come almost entirely from dietary sources. It is found predominantly in plants as its glycoside form (apigenin-7-O-glucoside), which is converted to free apigenin during digestion. This means the actual amount your body absorbs can differ from the total quantity present in raw food, a nuance worth keeping in mind when looking at any food composition data. Human absorption studies bear this out: free apigenin was poorly absorbed, with urinary metabolites equal to about 0.5% of intake, while the glycoside form in a parsley drink yielded metabolites equal to 11.2% of intake and chamomile tea 34%;[1] a separate parsley trial recovered only about 0.22% of the ingested dose in 24-hour urine.[2]
For a broader overview of what apigenin does once it is absorbed, see our guide on apigenin benefits and the science behind them.
Who May Struggle to Get Enough Apigenin from Food Alone?
There is currently no established dietary reference intake for apigenin, so it is not possible to define deficiency in a clinical sense. However, certain groups are likely to have lower habitual intakes based on their dietary patterns:
- People who eat few vegetables and rarely use fresh or dried herbs
- Those following heavily processed or fast-food-dominant diets
- Individuals with digestive conditions that might affect flavonoid absorption, although no apigenin absorption data in such groups were found
- People who do not drink herbal teas and consume limited plant variety overall
Even among people eating a generally healthy diet, intakes can be inconsistent because apigenin is concentrated in a relatively narrow range of foods rather than spread evenly across most plant foods the way some other flavonoids are. A dietary survey of nearly 117,000 US health professionals put total flavonol and flavone intake at roughly 20 to 22 mg per day, with quercetin alone contributing about three quarters of it: the flavones apigenin and luteolin make up a small share of that total.[3]
A Note on the Evidence
The research on apigenin’s mechanisms is largely from cell culture and animal models; human clinical trials are limited and small, so translating findings to guaranteed dietary benefits is not supported by current evidence. Individuals taking warfarin, benzodiazepines, sedating medications, or statins metabolized by CYP1A2, CYP2C9, or CYP3A4 should consult a physician before substantially increasing apigenin intake from supplements or very high dietary amounts, as enzyme inhibition could alter drug levels. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA; apigenin is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which food has the most apigenin?
It depends on the study. A review of USDA data lists fresh parsley at 215.46 mg/100 g fresh weight, while a survey of tropical plants found the highest apigenin in guava (579.0 mg/kg). Units, plant parts and methods differ, so these figures cannot be ranked against each other. Chamomile tea is described as the most usual source of intake, but that is an opinion rather than a measured intake [5][18][4].
Can I get enough apigenin from food alone, or do I need a supplement?
There is no established dietary reference intake for apigenin, so ‘enough’ has no defined clinical threshold. Regular consumption of chamomile tea, parsley, celery, and aromatic herbs can provide meaningful dietary apigenin. Whether that intake level produces the biological effects observed in cell and animal studies, which often use higher concentrations, is not established by human clinical trials.
Does cooking destroy apigenin in parsley and celery?
Not straightforwardly. In laboratory work on celery flavones, free apigenin was most stable at pH 3 and degraded progressively at pH 5 or 7 during heating, and added iron or copper impaired its stability. No study measured apigenin loss in cooked parsley or celery [17][19]. Dried herbs retain apigenin but at variable levels depending on drying and storage conditions.
Is chamomile tea safe to drink every night?
Chamomile tea has a long history of use as a nightly calming beverage and is generally considered safe for most adults. However, it is not effect-free: the apigenin it contains has GABA-A receptor activity, and combining it with other sedatives, alcohol, or sleep medications may produce additive sedation. Individuals on warfarin or CYP-metabolized drugs should consult a physician, as apigenin can inhibit drug-metabolizing enzymes.
Does the polyphenol form in food (glycoside vs. aglycone) affect how much apigenin is absorbed?
Yes. Most apigenin in plants is bound to sugar molecules (glycosylated), which must be cleaved by gut bacteria or intestinal enzymes before absorption can occur. The efficiency of this process varies between individuals based on microbiome composition and other factors. In one human study in healthy men, free apigenin gave urinary metabolites equal to 0.5% of the dose, versus 11.2% for the glycoside in a parsley drink and 34% for chamomile tea [1].
Are there apigenin sources beyond chamomile and parsley that are easy to add to a diet?
Yes. Celery stalks and celery seed, fennel fronds and seed, dried oregano and thyme, artichoke, and citrus peel (in zest or marmalade) all contain apigenin. Most aromatic culinary herbs in the Apiaceae and Lamiaceae families are worthwhile contributors, particularly when used generously rather than as trace garnishes.
References
- Borges G, Fong RY, Ensunsa JL, Kimball J, et al. Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of apigenin and its glycosides in healthy male adults. Free Radical Biology & Medicine (2022). PMID 35452808
- Meyer H, Bolarinwa A, Wolfram G, Linseisen J. Bioavailability of apigenin from apiin-rich parsley in humans. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism (2006). PMID 16407641
- Sampson L, Rimm E, Hollman PC, de Vries JH, et al. Flavonol and flavone intakes in US health professionals. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (2002). PMID 12396158
- Corina Danciu et al. Botanical Therapeutics: Phytochemical Screening and Biological Assessment of Chamomile, Parsley and Celery Extracts against A375 Human Melanoma and Dendritic Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2018). PMID 30453564
- Charrière K et al. Exploring the Role of Apigenin in Neuroinflammation: Insights and Implications. International journal of molecular sciences (2024). PMID 38732259
- 강경자 et al. Determination of the Contents of Apigenin and Luteolin in Vegetables. The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition (2021). doi:10.9799/ksfan.2021.34.2.233
- Fei Lin et al. Inhibitory effect of Selaginella doederleinii hieron on human cytochrome P450. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2023). PMID 36874034
- Wang Z et al. Inhibitory Effect of Apigenin on Losartan Metabolism and CYP2C9 Activity in vitro. Pharmacology (2016). PMID 27287328
- Shimada H et al. Differential mechanisms for the inhibition of human cytochrome P450 1A2 by apigenin and genistein. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology (2010). PMID 20806393
- Kondža M et al. Characterization of the CYP3A4 Enzyme Inhibition Potential of Selected Flavonoids. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (2021). PMID 34069400
- Kramer DJ et al. Apigenin: a natural molecule at the intersection of sleep and aging. Frontiers in nutrition (2024). PMID 38476603
- Campbell EL et al. The dietary flavonoids apigenin and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate enhance the positive modulation by diazepam of the activation by GABA of recombinant GABA(A) receptors. Biochemical pharmacology (2004). PMID 15451406
- Goutman JD et al. Flavonoid modulation of ionic currents mediated by GABA(A) and GABA(C) receptors. European journal of pharmacology (2003). PMID 12586201
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) source
- Sogand Saadatmand et al. The Effect of Oral Chamomile on Anxiety: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Clinical Nutrition Research (2024). PMID 38784853
- Atena Pasban et al. The Effect of Chamomile on Common Psychological Disorders Including Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Sleep Disorders: A Narrative Review. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2025). doi:10.5812/ijpbs-157547
- Hostetler GL et al. Effects of food formulation and thermal processing on flavones in celery and chamomile. Food chemistry (2013). PMID 23790931
- Miean KH et al. Flavonoid (myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and apigenin) content of edible tropical plants. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (2001). PMID 11410016
- Liu WN et al. The Stability and Activity Changes of Apigenin and Luteolin in Human Cervical Cancer Hela Cells in Response to Heat Treatment and Fe2+/Cu2+ Addition. Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (2019). PMID 31416279
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice; consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
