Apigenin: Antihypertensive Effects and Underlying Mechanisms - A Comprehensive Review

Apigenin, a ubiquitous dietary flavone from vegetables, fruits and herbal teas, exhibits multi-target hypotensive effects, yet its poor water solubility limits oral bioavailability and industrial translation. Previous reviews only summarized its general bioactivities and anti-atherosclerotic effects, without comprehensively analyzing its antihypertensive mechanisms. Most evidence derives from preclinical studies; human trials merely use crude celery seed extracts instead of purified apigenin, lacking reliable clinical proof for its antihypertensive efficacy. This review summarizes apigenin's sources, chemical properties, safety and solubility-enhanced delivery systems to support functional food exploitation. We elaborate four core antihypertensive pathways, and also point out translational bottlenecks and propose strategies including food-grade nanoformulation and standardized clinical trials. This work links preclinical mechanisms to food industry application, providing theoretical evidence for developing apigenin-enriched functional foods for hypertension adjuvant intervention.