Supplement · Sleep, stress & mood

Apigenin

A chamomile-derived flavonoid popularised for sleep, largely on preclinical grounds.

Evidence
Bronze· animal data only
Sources cited
1
Last reviewed
22 July 2026

Apigenin is a flavonoid found in chamomile and parsley that binds benzodiazepine-type receptors in the brain, which is the rationale for its recent popularity as a sleep aid.

Most of the supporting evidence is from cell and animal studies rather than human sleep trials, so its promotion as an isolated sleep supplement runs ahead of direct data. Chamomile (which contains it) has more human evidence than isolated apigenin.

Sources