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Legal status · Australia

Is Apigenin legal in Australia?

Written by Reviewed Sep 2026

Not approvedAntioxidantHuman studies cited: 1

Direct answer

Apigenin can be sold in Australia as a supplement or cosmetic ingredient, classified as "Available as a supplement / complementary medicine". That is not drug approval: TGA has not evaluated any health claim, and injectable or "research use only" versions fall outside supplement rules, so that label does not make human use lawful. On the evidence, 1 human study is cited on its profile.

Apigenin in Australia at a glance

ClassificationAvailable as a supplement / complementary medicine
NoteAvailable as a listed complementary medicine ingredient.
TGA approval statusNot a TGA drug approval; sold as a supplement or cosmetic
Human studies cited1 of 4 citations on the profile
ReviewedSep 2026

Classification and note come from the Apigenin profile, checked against Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) listings at the reviewed date.

What this means

  • 01

    Apigenin can be sold in Australia as a supplement, food or cosmetic ingredient under the classification above, without drug approval.

  • 02

    Supplement status means TGA has not evaluated any health claim; manufacturers are responsible for safety and labeling, and quality varies by product.

  • 03

    Injectable or "research use only" versions are not supplements. That label does not make human use lawful, and injectables fall under medicines rules.

What Apigenin is

Sold as a CD38 inhibitor that defends the NAD pool, on the strength of one 2013 paper in cells and obese mice. No human study has ever measured whether apigenin changes CD38 activity or NAD in a person, and human plasma after a large dietary dose peaks in the nanomolar range.

Apigenin occupies a specific and growing niche in NAD marketing. The pitch is that instead of pushing more precursor in, you stop the leak: CD38 is the enzyme that consumes NAD and its activity rises with age, so inhibiting it should preserve NAD.

Mechanism: CD38 is a membrane-bound NAD glycohydrolase, one of the principal consumers of NAD in mammalian tissue, whose expression and activity rise with age and which is also the main enzyme degrading NMN in vivo. Inhibiting it raises intracellular NAD without supplying any precursor, which in turn increases sirtuin activity and reduces global protein acetylation.

Regulatory history: A dietary constituent of common foods, sold over the counter as a supplement. Not an approved drug for any indication, and no health claim relating to NAD, CD38 or ageing has been authorised.

How TGA treats this kind of product

Registers or lists therapeutic goods on the ARTG and schedules substances in the Poisons Standard. Many peptides are Schedule 4 (prescription only), so possession without a prescription and personal importation are restricted even when no product is registered.

The classification above is the The Longevity Archive reading of Therapeutic Goods Administration listings for Apigenin at the reviewed date, not a legal opinion. Rules change, and importing, prescribing and possessing a compound can each be treated differently. Check the regulator directly before acting on anything here.

Apigenin in other countries

Frequently asked questions

Is Apigenin legal in Australia?

Apigenin can be sold in Australia as a supplement or cosmetic ingredient, classified as "Available as a supplement / complementary medicine". That is not drug approval: TGA has not evaluated any health claim, and injectable or "research use only" versions fall outside supplement rules, so that label does not make human use lawful. On the evidence, 1 human study is cited on its profile. Note: Available as a listed complementary medicine ingredient.

Can I buy Apigenin in Australia?

Yes, in supplement or cosmetic form. In Australia Apigenin is classified as "Available as a supplement / complementary medicine", so oral, topical or cosmetic products can be sold under supplement rules. Injectable versions and products labeled "research use only" are not supplements and are not approved for human use. Note: Available as a listed complementary medicine ingredient.

Is Apigenin TGA approved?

No. In Australia Apigenin is classified as "Available as a supplement / complementary medicine", which is not a TGA marketing approval. For comparison, the US FDA status is: A dietary constituent of common foods, sold over the counter as a supplement. Not an approved drug for any indication, and no health claim relating to NAD, CD38 or ageing has been authorised.. On the evidence, 1 human study is cited on its profile.

Related compounds in Australia

Full research profile

Mechanism, cited studies, FDA status and the full legal summary for Apigenin live on its compound profile.

Apigenin profile

This page is general information about the regulatory status of Apigenin in Australia, current as of Sep 2026. It is not legal advice, and classifications change; check Therapeutic Goods Administration directly or consult a lawyer for a specific situation. Educational use only. This database summarizes published research. It is not medical advice and contains no dosing protocols or recommendations for personal use. The Longevity Archive has no vendor relationships and does not recommend where to buy anything.