Apigenin
Apigenin is a naturally occurring plant flavone, a subclass of flavonoids widely distributed in edible and medicinal plants.
Apigenin is a naturally occurring plant flavone, a subclass of flavonoids widely distributed in edible and medicinal plants. In biomedical research, it is commonly studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties, as well as for its ability to participate in multi-component phytochemical systems and nanomedicine formulations. Across the recent studies provided here, apigenin appears as a bioactive constituent of herbal extracts and formulations, and also as a building block in carrier-free nanoparticle assemblies.
Biologically, apigenin is being investigated in relation to inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress, cardiovascular protection, and tissue injury responses. The recent literature contexts specifically connect it with pathways and targets such as NLRP3, Caspase-1, Gasdermin D (GSDMD), FOXO1/PDK4 signaling, and broader polyphenol-based therapeutic platforms that also involve tannic acid, Cu2+ ions, cannabidiol, kaempferol, quercetin, salidroside, naringenin, and related phytochemicals.
Where the papers sit
12 papers from the last 6 months study apigenin directly · updated from PubMed 5 Oct 2026
Study type 1 clinical trial · 1 human data · 9 preclinical · 1 unclassified
Themes one subject · 1 new direction
Those 12 are all about one subject.
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Natural Product Pharmacology
Bioactive natural products are being characterized through extraction and HPLC methods, network pharmacology, metabolomics, proteomics, and experimental validation. Therapeutic interest spans rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, cancer, retinal inflammation, and neuroprotection, with mechanisms including AKT1 inhibition, NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pyroptosis, and microbiota-derived butyrate. Formulations and nanoparticles aim to improve delivery, while antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity recur as endpoints. The breadth supports a shared pharmacology theme, but no single disease, target, or clinical direction dominates.
Apigenin appears as a microbiota-generated mediator rather than a directly administered therapeutic
Apiin in dextran sulfate sodium–induced colitis was resistant to host digestion and was instead converted by distal-intestinal microbes into apigenin, while protection was associated with increased butyrate production and GPR41/GPR43–PPARγ signaling rather than solely with a direct host-cell action of administered apigenin. This gives apigenin a distinct role as a microbiota-derived aglycone within a dietary glycoside–microbiome–metabolite pathway, shifting attention toward microbial biotransformation and metabolite signaling as determinants of its activity 42448689Jul.
Papers
The 12 papers from the last 6 months that study apigenin directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Natural Product Pharmacology (12)
- Integrating novel network pharmacology and experimental validation to study the mechanism of Wutou decoction against rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmunity · 16 Sept 2026 PMID 42748055
- The Effect of Aromatherapy on Fatigue and Sleep Quality in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nursing in critical care · 22 Aug 2026 PMID 42630137
- UV-Spectrophotometric and RP-HPLC Method Development and Validation for Simultaneous Estimation of Gallic Acid, Quercetin, Luteolin, and Apigenin in Saraca asoca Extract. Biomedical chromatography : BMC · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42584238
- Microbiota-dependent biotransformation of apiin drives butyrate-associated protection against colitis. NPJ science of food · 14 Jul 2026 PMID 42448689
- High-performance liquid chromatography - diode array detection method validation for amentoflavone-type biflavonoids in five Encephalartos species with potential neuroprotective activity. Scientific reports · 13 Jul 2026 PMID 42443245
- In silico screening and molecular analyses identify apigenin from Scutellaria barbata as a potent AKT1 inhibitor in breast cancer. PloS one · 25 Jun 2026 PMID 42348584
- Potential Therapeutic Effects of Chrysin and Apigenin in a Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rat Model. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology · 25 Jun 2026 PMID 42346026
- Proteomics-based characterization of apigenin-mediated anti-inflammatory effects in TNF-α-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. International immunopharmacology · 20 Jun 2026 PMID 42322860
- Integrated UHPLC-QTOF-MS2 metabolomics, biological assays and in silico analysis reveal multi-target potential of Achillea arabica Kotschy. Journal of computer-aided molecular design · 13 May 2026 PMID 42126671
- A comprehensive insight into optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plant extract using response surface methodology. Ultrasonics sonochemistry · 2 May 2026 PMID 42068787
- The "Tianyu" Formulation Alleviates Rheumatoid Arthritis by Modulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-Mediated Pyroptosis Pathway. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 25 Apr 2026 PMID 42033182
- Multifunctional Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Herbal-Derived Bioactive Materials Provide Enhanced Neuroprotection against Ischemic Stroke. Molecular pharmaceutics · 20 Apr 2026 PMID 42003696
By study type
Clinical trials (1)
- The Effect of Aromatherapy on Fatigue and Sleep Quality in Intensive Care Nurses: A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nursing in critical care · 22 Aug 2026 PMID 42630137
Human data, design not indexed (1)
- Integrated UHPLC-QTOF-MS2 metabolomics, biological assays and in silico analysis reveal multi-target potential of Achillea arabica Kotschy. Journal of computer-aided molecular design · 13 May 2026 PMID 42126671
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (9)
- Integrating novel network pharmacology and experimental validation to study the mechanism of Wutou decoction against rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmunity · 16 Sept 2026 PMID 42748055
- UV-Spectrophotometric and RP-HPLC Method Development and Validation for Simultaneous Estimation of Gallic Acid, Quercetin, Luteolin, and Apigenin in Saraca asoca Extract. Biomedical chromatography : BMC · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42584238
- High-performance liquid chromatography - diode array detection method validation for amentoflavone-type biflavonoids in five Encephalartos species with potential neuroprotective activity. Scientific reports · 13 Jul 2026 PMID 42443245
- In silico screening and molecular analyses identify apigenin from Scutellaria barbata as a potent AKT1 inhibitor in breast cancer. PloS one · 25 Jun 2026 PMID 42348584
- Potential Therapeutic Effects of Chrysin and Apigenin in a Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rat Model. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology · 25 Jun 2026 PMID 42346026
- Proteomics-based characterization of apigenin-mediated anti-inflammatory effects in TNF-α-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. International immunopharmacology · 20 Jun 2026 PMID 42322860
- A comprehensive insight into optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plant extract using response surface methodology. Ultrasonics sonochemistry · 2 May 2026 PMID 42068787
- The "Tianyu" Formulation Alleviates Rheumatoid Arthritis by Modulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-Mediated Pyroptosis Pathway. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 25 Apr 2026 PMID 42033182
- Multifunctional Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Herbal-Derived Bioactive Materials Provide Enhanced Neuroprotection against Ischemic Stroke. Molecular pharmaceutics · 20 Apr 2026 PMID 42003696
Unclassified: not yet indexed with MeSH (1)
- Microbiota-dependent biotransformation of apiin drives butyrate-associated protection against colitis. NPJ science of food · 14 Jul 2026 PMID 42448689
Written from 12 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-06-15. Last written: 2026-09-18 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.