Because apigenin has low bioavailability and stability in isolation, human research tends to focus on its consumption through plants, herbs, and their extracts. Bioavailability and subsequent absorption, even from plant and food sources, may also vary from individual to individual and because of the source it’s derived from.[1][2] Examining the dietary flavonoid intake (including apigenin, which is subclassed as a flavone) and excretion alongside the risk of various conditions may therefore be the most practical means of assessment. One large observational study, for example, found that of all the dietary flavonoids, the intake of apigenin was associated with a 5% reduction in the risk of hypertension among the participants who consumed the highest amounts compared to the participants who consumed the least.[3] It is possible, however, that there are other differences that might explain this association, such as income, which can affect health status and access to care, leading to a reduced risk of hypertension. One randomized controlled trial found no effect of the consumption of apigenin-rich foods (onion and parsley) on biomarkers related to hypertension (e.g., aggregation of platelets (clotting) and precursors of this process).[4]
References
- ^Raul Zamora-Ros, David Achaintre, Joseph A Rothwell, Sabina Rinaldi, Nada Assi, Pietro Ferrari, Michael Leitzmann, Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault, Guy Fagherazzi, Aurélie Auffret, Tilman Kühn, Verena Katzke, Heiner Boeing, Antonia Trichopoulou, Androniki Naska, Effie Vasilopoulou, Domenico Palli, Sara Grioni, Amalia Mattiello, Rosario Tumino, Fulvio Ricceri, Nadia Slimani, Isabelle Romieu, Augustin ScalbertUrinary excretions of 34 dietary polyphenols and their associations with lifestyle factors in the EPIC cohort studySci Rep.(2016 Jun 7)
- ^Borges G, Fong RY, Ensunsa JL, Kimball J, Medici V, Ottaviani JI, Crozier AAbsorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of apigenin and its glycosides in healthy male adults.Free Radic Biol Med.(2022-May-20)
- ^Aedín Cassidy, Éilis J O'Reilly, Colin Kay, Laura Sampson, Mary Franz, J P Forman, Gary Curhan, Eric B RimmHabitual intake of flavonoid subclasses and incident hypertension in adultsAm J Clin Nutr.(2011 Feb)
- ^Janssen K, Mensink RP, Cox FJ, Harryvan JL, Hovenier R, Hollman PC, Katan MBEffects of the flavonoids quercetin and apigenin on hemostasis in healthy volunteers: results from an in vitro and a dietary supplement study.Am J Clin Nutr.(1998-Feb)