Mimulus Cardinalis
Also known as: Mimulus cardinalis, Scarlet monkeyflower, Cardinal monkeyflower
Overview
Mimulus cardinalis, commonly known as Scarlet monkeyflower or Cardinal monkeyflower, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant native to western North America. It is primarily recognized for its distinctive bright red flowers, which are adapted for hummingbird pollination. While extensively studied, research on Mimulus cardinalis predominantly falls within the fields of ecological and evolutionary biology, focusing on aspects such as plant reproductive isolation, pollinator interactions, and adaptation to environmental stressors like drought. It is not classified or utilized as a conventional dietary supplement ingredient, and there is no established history or current use of this plant in human or animal supplementation. The available scientific literature consists mainly of botanical, genetic, and ecological studies, with a complete absence of peer-reviewed clinical trials, meta-analyses, or any research assessing its potential health effects or applications as a supplement.
Benefits
There are no documented primary or secondary health benefits of Mimulus cardinalis as a supplement for humans or animals in peer-reviewed clinical literature. Scientific studies on this species focus exclusively on its ecological and evolutionary characteristics, such as reproductive isolation mechanisms, pollination biology, and adaptation to environmental conditions like drought. These studies do not investigate bioactive compounds relevant to human health, nor do they assess any health outcomes. Consequently, there is no evidence to support any claims of efficacy for Mimulus cardinalis in a supplement context.
How it works
The concept of 'how it works' is not applicable to Mimulus cardinalis in the context of human or animal supplementation or pharmacology, as there is no evidence of its use or any known pharmacological mechanisms. Ecologically, the plant's floral volatile compounds, produced through terpene synthase activity, play a crucial role in influencing pollinator behavior, particularly that of hummingbirds. This mechanism is an ecological adaptation for reproduction and does not translate to a pharmacological action within a biological system for health benefits.
Side effects
There is no data available regarding the safety, potential side effects, drug interactions, or contraindications related to human consumption or supplementation of Mimulus cardinalis. As the plant is not known or used as a supplement ingredient, a safety profile in this context does not exist. Given the complete lack of research on its internal use, any consumption would be without scientific basis for safety. Individuals should exercise extreme caution and avoid internal use due to the absence of any safety data.
Dosage
There are no established dosing or administration guidelines for Mimulus cardinalis as a supplement. This is because the plant is not recognized or utilized as a dietary or therapeutic supplement, and no research has been conducted to determine effective or safe dosages for any purpose. Therefore, any attempt to establish a dosage would be entirely speculative and unsupported by scientific evidence. There are no known upper limits, safety thresholds, or considerations for different forms or absorption factors, as its use as a supplement is entirely unstudied.
FAQs
Is Mimulus cardinalis used as a supplement?
No, there is no scientific evidence or established practice supporting the use of Mimulus cardinalis as a dietary or therapeutic supplement for humans or animals.
Are there any known health effects or benefits?
No, clinical evidence or trials have not documented any health effects or benefits of Mimulus cardinalis. Research focuses on its ecological and evolutionary biology, not health outcomes.
Is it safe to consume Mimulus cardinalis?
There is no data on the safety of human consumption of Mimulus cardinalis. It is primarily a wild plant studied in ecology, and its internal use is not supported by any safety research.
Research Sources
- https://faculty.washington.edu/toby/pubs/Ramsey2003Evolution.pdf – This study by Ramsey et al. (2003) investigated reproductive isolation between Mimulus cardinalis and Mimulus lewisii. It focused on seed viability and hybrid fitness from controlled crosses, demonstrating ecological and genetic barriers to gene flow. The research provides insights into plant evolution but does not address any health-related outcomes or supplement applications.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4268329/ – Byers et al. (2014) explored how floral volatile alleles influence pollinator-mediated reproductive isolation in Mimulus. Using RNA interference, they studied gene function in floral scent production, highlighting mechanisms of ecological adaptation. This research contributes to understanding plant-pollinator interactions but has no relevance to supplement efficacy or human health.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ece3.7011 – Vtipil et al. (2020) examined phenological evolution in Mimulus cardinalis populations under drought stress. Their findings indicated a limited evolutionary response in flowering time, which is relevant to climate adaptation. This study provides ecological insights but is unrelated to any potential supplement applications or health benefits.
- https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajb2.1660 – Nelson et al. (2021) investigated genetic traits associated with drought avoidance in Mimulus cardinalis. This research contributes to understanding plant adaptation mechanisms to environmental stressors. However, it does not provide any information regarding the efficacy, safety, or potential use of Mimulus cardinalis as a supplement.
- https://academic.oup.com/evolut/article/73/1/4/6727058 – Caruso et al. (2019) conducted a meta-analysis on selection pressures on floral traits across various species, including Mimulus. The study emphasized the role of pollinator-driven evolution in shaping plant characteristics. This research is significant for evolutionary biology but does not address any supplement or health-related effects of Mimulus cardinalis.
