Luteolin

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction¹ Long COVID symptoms^{2, 3} Autism spectrum disorder behavior⁴ Brain fog⁵ Cardiometabolic parameters⁶	Anticoagulant therapy⁷ Soy allergy⁷ Fish allergy⁷ Peanut allergy⁷

Luteolin is a flavone found in celery, parsley, chamomile, and other herbs⁸. It acts through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of microglia and mast cells⁵. That neuroinflammation rationale drives supplementation for brain fog, behavior in autism spectrum disorder, and persistent symptoms after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)⁵. A chlorogenic acid combination has also been studied for cardiometabolic parameters in pre-obesity.

Controlled evidence is narrow. In a 2023 randomized trial of patients with persistent smell loss after COVID-19, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) co-ultramicronized with luteolin plus olfactory training produced greater recovery than either alone¹. Autism data come from an open-label pilot, and diabetes claims rest largely on preclinical work. In a 2026 observational cohort of diabetic adults, higher luteolin intake was associated with lower kidney damage prevalence and better survival; no trial has tested this. Products are mostly capsules and often paired with PEA; low oral bioavailability is the main formulation issue, see Form comparison.

Per United States product labels, some advise consulting a doctor before use with anticoagulant medications⁷.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

37 sources, 22 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources