The Verification Log — The Carbon Cure

Corrections

No corrections have been logged.

If you find an error, write to thecarboncureofficial@gmail.com. Every confirmed correction is dated here, and each new printing carries the fixes.

How the book was checked

Every entry is built from named reference works: the European Medicines Agency's herbal monographs, the World Health Organization's monographs, ESCOP, Germany's Commission E, the pharmacopoeias, the historical herbals, and published clinical trials. Every dose, limit and warning in the book is taken from the work cited beside it. The book was researched and drafted with the help of AI tools. Independent review passes, by people and by AI, read every page for errors of species, dose and safety, and the author read every page, and every draft of it, before approving it.

The published studies

Every journal citation printed in the book — 64 of them — was checked on October 17, 2026 against CrossRef and OpenAlex, which confirm that a paper exists and match it to its citation, and against the Retraction Watch database. One, an 1890 article with no DOI, was checked against OpenAlex and PubMed Central instead. All 64 were found. None has been retracted. A correction, erratum or expression of concern is not a retraction, and is not tracked here. The number before each study is its citation number on that plant's safety page.

I · Sleep & Calm

German Chamomile

1. Amsterdam JD et al. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2009;29:378–82 · doi:10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181ac935c
2. Zick SM et al. BMC Complement Altern Med 2011;11:78 · doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-78

Lemon Balm

1. Kennedy DO et al. Psychosom Med 2004;66:607–13 · doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000132877.72833.71
5. Fernie WT. The Hospital 1890;7(178):321–2 · no DOI · PubMed 29835333 · OpenAlex W3025796197

Lavender

1. Kasper S et al. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2010;25:277–87 · doi:10.1097/YIC.0b013e32833b3242

Valerian

1. Bent S et al. Am J Med 2006;119:1005–12 · doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.02.026

Passionflower

1. Ngan A, Conduit R. Phytother Res 2011;25:1153–9 · doi:10.1002/ptr.3400
2. Akhondzadeh S et al. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:363–7 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2710.2001.00367.x

Hops

1. Koetter U et al. Phytother Res 2007;21:847–51 · doi:10.1002/ptr.2167

Skullcap

5. Larrey D et al. Ann Intern Med 1992;117:129–32 · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-117-2-129
6. Brock C et al. Phytother Res 2014;28:692–8 · doi:10.1002/ptr.5044

Catnip

3. Uenoyama R et al. Sci Adv 2021;7(4):eabd9135 · doi:10.1126/sciadv.abd9135

II · Digestion & Nausea

Peppermint

3. Khanna R et al. J Clin Gastroenterol 2014;48(6):505–12 · doi:10.1097/MCG.0b013e3182a88357

Ginger

3. Viljoen E et al. Nutr J 2014;13:20 · doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-20

Fennel

4. Namavar Jahromi B et al. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2003;80(2):153–7 · doi:10.1016/s0020-7292(02)00372-7

Milk Thistle

3. Rambaldi A et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007;(4):CD003620 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003620.pub3

Licorice Root

3. Agarwal A et al. Anesth Analg 2009;109(1):77–81 · doi:10.1213/ane.0b013e3181a6ad47

Rosemary

2. Pengelly A et al. J Med Food 2012;15(1):10–17 · doi:10.1089/jmf.2011.0005
3. Nematolahi P et al. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2018;30:24–28 · doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.11.004

Artichoke Leaf

6. Holtmann et al., Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2003 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01767.x

Fenugreek

6. Neelakantan et al., Nutr J 2014 · doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-7

Turmeric

6. Daily, Yang & Park, J Med Food 2016 · doi:10.1089/jmf.2016.3705
8. Cowell et al., Public Health Rep 2017 · doi:10.1177/0033354917700109
9. Forsyth et al., Environ Res 2019 · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.108722

III · Coughs, Colds & Immune

Elder

6. Zakay-Rones Z et al. J Int Med Res 2004;32(2):132–40 · doi:10.1177/147323000403200205
7. Hawkins J et al. Complement Ther Med 2019;42:361–5 · doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2018.12.004

Thyme

6. Kemmerich B et al. Arzneimittelforschung 2006;56(9):652–60 · doi:10.1055/s-0031-1296767

Sage

6. Bommer S, Klein P, Suter A. Adv Ther 2011;28(6):490–500 · doi:10.1007/s12325-011-0027-z

Echinacea

7. Karsch-Völk M et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014;(2):CD000530 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000530.pub3

Garlic

3. Lissiman E et al. Garlic for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014;(11):CD006206 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006206.pub4
6. Padrez KA et al. Am J Emerg Med 2025;87:217.e1–e5 · doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2024.10.027
8. Lee Hall E et al. JAAD Case Rep 2021;9:100–101 · doi:10.1016/j.jdcr.2021.01.013

Nettle

4. Mittman P. Planta Med 1990;56(1):44–7 (PMID 2192379) · doi:10.1055/s-2006-960881

Eucalyptus

7. Kehrl W, Sonnemann U, Dethlefsen U. Laryngoscope 2004;114(4):738–42 · doi:10.1097/00005537-200404000-00027
7. Juergens UR et al. Respir Med 2003;97(3):250–6 · doi:10.1053/rmed.2003.1432
7. Fischer J, Dethlefsen U. Cough 2013;9:25 · doi:10.1186/1745-9974-9-25

IV · Skin & First Aid

Calendula

7. Pommier P et al. J Clin Oncol 2004;22(8):1447–53 · doi:10.1200/JCO.2004.07.063
8. Sharp L et al. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2013;17(4):429–35 · doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2012.11.003

Plantain

6. Slifman NR et al. N Engl J Med 1998;339:806–11 (companion to FDA Warning Letter MIN 98-4, 1997) · doi:10.1056/NEJM199809173391204

Comfrey

1. Grube B et al. Phytomedicine 2007;14:2–10 · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2006.11.006
2. Koll R et al. Phytomedicine 2004;11:470–7 · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2004.02.001
3. Staiger C. Phytother Res 2012;26:1441–8 · doi:10.1002/ptr.4612
4. Hirono I et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 1978;61:865–9 · doi:10.1093/jnci/61.3.865
11. Wu IL et al. Clin Toxicol 2017;55:670–3 · doi:10.1080/15563650.2017.1317350
12. Lin CC et al. J Chin Med Assoc 2010;73:97–100 · doi:10.1016/s1726-4901(10)70009-5

Witch Hazel

6. Korting HC et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1995;48(6):461–5 (PMID 8582464) · doi:10.1007/BF00194335

Aloe

5. Maenthaisong R et al. The efficacy of aloe vera used for burn wound healing: a systematic review. Burns 2007;33(6):713–8 (PMID 17499928) · doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.10.384

V · Heart, Circulation & Metabolic

Hibiscus

4. McKay DL et al. J Nutr 2010;140(2):298–303 (PMID 20018807) · doi:10.3945/jn.109.115097
5. Serban C et al. J Hypertens 2015;33(6):1119–27 (PMID 25875025) · doi:10.1097/HJH.0000000000000585
6. Hopkins AL et al. Fitoterapia 2013 (PMC3593772) · doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003
7. Mahmoud BM et al. J Antimicrob Chemother 1994;33(5):1005–9 (PMID 8089046) · doi:10.1093/jac/33.5.1005

Rose Hips

2. Christensen R et al. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2008;16(9):965–72 (PMID 18407528) · doi:10.1016/j.joca.2008.03.001
3. Rein E, Kharazmi A, Winther K. Phytomedicine 2004;11(5):383–91 (PMID 15330493) · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2004.01.001

Ginseng

6. Arring et al., J Altern Complement Med 2018 · doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0361

VI · Pain, Fever & Head

White Willow

1. Chrubasik S et al. Am J Med 2000;109:9–14 · doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(00)00442-3
2. Schmid B et al. Phytother Res 2001;15:344–50 · doi:10.1002/ptr.981
3. Vlachojannis JE et al. Phytother Res 2009;23:897–900 · doi:10.1002/ptr.2747
4. Oltean H et al. Cochrane 2014;(12):CD004504 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004504.pub4
5. Stone E. Phil Trans R Soc 1763;53:195–200 · doi:10.1098/rstl.1763.0033
9. Wood JN. Phil Trans R Soc B 2015;370:20140317 · doi:10.1098/rstb.2014.0317
12. USP Safety Review of Willow Bark. Planta Med 2019;85:1192–202 · doi:10.1055/a-1007-5206

Feverfew

2. Wider B, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Feverfew for preventing migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015;(4):CD002286 (PMID 25892430) · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002286.pub3

St. John’s Wort

4. Linde K, Berner MM, Kriston L. St John’s wort for major depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;(4):CD000448 (PMID 18843608) · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000448.pub3

VII · Urinary & Flushing

Cranberry

6. Williams G et al. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023;11:CD001321 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub7

The adulteration check

Every plant was checked against the public indexes of the ABC–AHP–NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program, which publishes bulletins on herbs documented as adulterated in trade (indexes read September–October 2026). 10 of the 50 have a bulletin. For the other 40, the program had published none when we checked. That is no guarantee of purity, which is why our sourcing guidance lives at thecarboncure.org/sourcing.

A bulletin has been published: Lavender (the essential oil) · Skullcap · Milk Thistle · Turmeric · Elder (the berry) · Echinacea · Aloe · Ginseng · St. John’s Wort · Cranberry.

No bulletin when checked: German Chamomile · Lemon Balm · Valerian · Passionflower · Hops · Catnip · Peppermint · Ginger · Fennel · Dandelion · Meadowsweet · Marshmallow · Licorice Root · Rosemary · Artichoke Leaf · Fenugreek · Thyme · Sage · White Horehound · Great Mullein · Elecampane · Garlic · Nettle · Eucalyptus · Linden Flower · Calendula · Plantain · Yarrow · Comfrey · Witch Hazel · Oat · Hibiscus · Cinnamon · Rose Hips · White Willow · Feverfew · Betony · Birch Leaf · Goldenrod · Uva-Ursi.

What the book refuses

Twenty-three plants were researched and left out, each for a documented reason. The full list, with its sources, is at thecarboncure.org/refused.

This page is educational, not medical advice. It records how the book's sources were checked; it does not evaluate any product or supplier. Plants described in our book and articles can be unsuitable or unsafe for some people — see a qualified practitioner for guidance about your own situation.