Supplement

Luteolin

Antioxidant · Luteolol, flavone from chamomile, PEA-LUT (combination with palmitoylethanolamide)

Luteolin is a flavonoid from plants such as chamomile that dampens inflammatory processes in the nervous system in cell and animal experiments. In humans there are encouraging but preliminary data: an open-label pilot study in children with autism and randomized trials on long COVID. In these, luteolin was always tested in combination, with quercetin or with palmitoylethanolamide.

What luteolin is

Luteolin is a flavone, a subgroup of the flavonoids, and closely related to apigenin. In the most important autism study it came from chamomile and was combined with quercetin and rutin (Taliou 2013). A second common route is PEA-LUT, a finely milled compound of palmitoylethanolamide, an endogenous fatty acid amide, and luteolin. Palmitoylethanolamide is not to be confused with the stimulant phenylethylamine, which is also abbreviated PEA.

In the BK-Score, human evidence stands at 3 out of 10 points. This axis rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. We did not find a randomized trial with luteolin as a single substance.

How it works

In cell and animal experiments, luteolin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, slows down mast cells that release inflammatory substances, and protects nerve cells; in a mouse model of autism it improved cognitive performance (Taliou 2013). The research group around Theoharides assumes that in some children with autism, inflammation in the brain with activated microglia is involved (Tsilioni 2015).

In humans there are two indirect indications: in children with autism, the elevated blood levels of IL-6 and TNF fell on a luteolin preparation (Tsilioni 2015), and in long COVID patients a measurement of inhibitory GABA-B activity in the cerebral cortex rose on PEA-LUT (Versace 2023). Both are accompanying markers, not clinical endpoints.

What is well supported

Better daily living skills in a pilot study. In 40 children with autism who took a luteolin-quercetin preparation for 26 weeks, communication, daily living skills and social behavior improved by 7 to 8.4 months of developmental age. There was no control group.
Sense of smell after COVID in a large randomized trial. Olfactory training plus PEA-LUT led to clear recovery in 89.2 percent, olfactory training with placebo in 36.8 percent (Di Stadio 2023). A meta-analysis of 5 studies with 441 patients confirms the direction (Capra 2023).
Measurable change in the cerebral cortex. In a randomized trial with 39 long COVID patients, measurements of cortical inhibition and plasticity rose on PEA-LUT, but not on placebo.

What the studies show

Autism: open-label pilot study by Taliou 2013

In Athens, 50 children aged 4 to 10, 42 boys and 8 girls, took a preparation of luteolin, quercetin and rutin in olive kernel oil for 26 weeks. 40 children completed the study. Daily living skills on the Vineland scale improved by 8.43 months of developmental age in communication, 7.17 months in daily living skills and 8 months in the social domain; problem behavior decreased by 26.6 to 34.8 percent. In 27 of the 50 children, temporarily increased irritability occurred for 1 to 8 weeks. There was no placebo group.

Inflammatory markers: Tsilioni 2015

In the same group of children, IL-6 and TNF in the blood were elevated at baseline. After 26 weeks both were significantly lower (p = 0.036 and p = 0.015), most clearly in the children whose behavior had improved the most. The likewise elevated levels of CRH and neurotensin did not change. The authors see IL-6 and TNF as possible markers for children who respond.

Long COVID: smell disorder in Di Stadio 2023 and Capra 2023

202 patients with a sense of smell impaired for more than 6 months after COVID received, double-blind, olfactory training with placebo, PEA-LUT once or twice daily alone, or olfactory training plus PEA-LUT once daily. After 90 days the smell test improved by more than 3 points in 89.2 percent of the combination group, in 36.8 percent with olfactory training plus placebo and in 40 and 41.6 percent respectively with PEA-LUT alone. No adverse events occurred. The meta-analysis by Capra 2023 pooled 5 studies with 441 patients and likewise found better recovery with PEA-LUT in addition to olfactory training.

Long COVID: thinking problems and fatigue in Versace 2023

39 patients with persistent thinking problems and fatigue after mild COVID received PEA-LUT or placebo for 8 weeks. Measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation, GABA-B-mediated inhibition and cortical plasticity rose on PEA-LUT, but not on placebo. Whether the symptoms themselves improved is not apparent from the abstract.

Where the data stop

Luteolin alone. All the human studies mentioned here tested combinations. What share is attributable to luteolin remains open.
Controlled data in autism. A systematic review found 17 animal studies and 4 clinical papers, but no randomized placebo-controlled trial with flavonoids in autism (Savino 2023). Without a control group, development, expectation and treatment effect cannot be separated.
Concentration and “neuroinflammation” in everyday life. For healthy adults who take luteolin for concentration or against inflammation in the brain, there is no study.
Reliability of individual papers. On a paper with an autism mouse model and a case report on PEA-LUT (Bertolino 2017), the journal published a notice of concerns (Expression of Concern) in 2024.

Status, approval and legal

Luteolin is offered as a food supplement, as a pure substance or combined with palmitoylethanolamide. Luteolin is not listed as a single substance in the Union list of authorized novel foods (consolidated version of August 10, 2026). Whether an isolated luteolin preparation counts as a novel food depends on its origin and manufacture and must be examined case by case.

There are no authorized health claims for luteolin; the EU list under Regulation 432/2012 contains no entry for it.

Safety

In the autism study, 27 of 50 children experienced temporarily increased irritability; no serious side effects were reported. In the large long COVID study there were no adverse events on PEA-LUT. Long-term data on isolated luteolin are lacking, as are data on pregnancy and breastfeeding. In children with autism, any supplement belongs under medical supervision. In the BK-Score, safety stands at 2 out of 10 points; this axis measures how well safety has been studied, not how safe the substance is. This text is information and does not replace medical advice.

BK-Score Hype far ahead of evidence

Human evidence		3
Mechanism		4
Safety data		2
Hype gap		3
Track record of use		3

Evidence 3, because the human data come from an open-label pilot study without a control group in 50 children with autism using a combination preparation with quercetin and rutin (Taliou 2013), and from randomized long COVID trials that tested luteolin only together with palmitoylethanolamide (Di Stadio 2023 with 202, Versace 2023 with 39 patients); a systematic review found no randomized trial on flavonoids in autism (Savino 2023). Mechanism 4, because the anti-inflammatory effect on mast cells and microglia comes from cell and animal experiments and is only hinted at in humans through falling IL-6 and TNF levels in an uncontrolled group (Tsilioni 2015). Safety 2, because systematic safety data for isolated luteolin are lacking; in the autism study, temporary irritability was common in 27 of 50 children. Hype 3, because luteolin is advertised as a remedy against neuroinflammation, autism and brain fog without a controlled trial of the single substance. Use 3, because luteolin is consumed via chamomile and other plants, but as an isolated supplement it has only been used briefly and narrowly. Direction open: positive, but uncontrolled or combined data.

The score rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. “Safety data 9” means well studied – not harmless. “Track record of use 9” means used long and widely – that is not proof of efficacy.
Subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules – not a scientific rating and not a medical recommendation. Rules and all ratings (German)

Frequently asked questions about luteolin

What is luteolin?

A flavonoid from the flavone group that occurs in chamomile, among other plants, and is closely related to apigenin. It is offered as a food supplement, either as a pure substance or in combination with palmitoylethanolamide. In cell and animal experiments it has anti-inflammatory effects.

Does luteolin help with autism?

In an open-label pilot study with 50 children, daily living skills and behavior improved on a preparation of luteolin, quercetin and rutin. There was no control group, and a systematic review found no randomized trial. The finding is encouraging, but not established.

What is PEA-LUT?

A finely milled compound of palmitoylethanolamide, an endogenous fatty acid amide, and luteolin. It has been tested in randomized trials in long COVID, for example for an impaired sense of smell. It has nothing to do with the stimulant phenylethylamine, which is also abbreviated PEA.

Does luteolin help with long COVID and brain fog?

In a randomized trial with 202 patients, olfactory training plus PEA-LUT improved the sense of smell considerably more often than olfactory training with placebo. In 39 patients with thinking problems, measurements of the cerebral cortex changed. In each case the combination was tested, not luteolin alone.

Is luteolin permitted in Germany?

Luteolin is offered as a food supplement. It is not listed as a single substance in the Union list of authorized novel foods, and there are no authorized health claims. Whether an isolated preparation counts as a novel food must be examined case by case.

What side effects does luteolin have?

In the autism study, 27 of 50 children experienced temporarily increased irritability; no serious side effects were reported. In the long COVID study with PEA-LUT there were no adverse events. Long-term data on the single substance are lacking.

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Sources

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Information only, not medical advice and not a usage or dosage recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in the hands of a physician. Last updated: 2026-10-07.