About the project
Soul of Herbs is a herb catalogue that puts two things side by side that usually get blended together: what tradition says about a plant, and what research shows. We do not want them speaking with one voice. This page describes how the content is made and who is responsible for it.
What this site is not
It is not medical advice and not a substitute for professional care. You will not find dosages 'for an illness' here, nor suggestions for replacing prescribed medication. If you are dealing with a specific health problem, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription drugs, that belongs with a doctor or pharmacist - not in a catalogue.
Tradition and science are kept apart
Every claim on a herb card has a type, and the interface does not hide it. A scientific claim, a traditional use, a spiritual use, a historical mention and a folk superstition are separate categories carrying different weight.
The spiritual and traditional part may contain rituals, symbolism, old herbals and folk advice - but it is never presented as verified medical information. When a herb is described as having been used to 'calm the mind', that is a record of tradition, not a study result.
How we mark the strength of evidence
Scientific records show available information about the source, study type, evidence strength and limitations. We distinguish laboratory work, animal and human studies, reviews and institutional monographs. Some older records lack details; a catalogue label is not specialist approval.
We do not fill an unsupported claim with a generic promise. An empty field or absent warning does not establish that a risk is absent.
Rules for safety notes
Notes on drug interactions and phototoxicity are filled in only where a specific, documented risk for that particular herb exists, with a citation. We never fill them with generic padding such as 'consult your doctor if you take medication' - a sentence like that says nothing and dilutes the warnings that do.
Lookalike warnings should identify a specific species and source. Text and photographs on this website do not confirm the identity of a plant in front of you.
Sources
Look for a specific source, its year and the plant part or preparation it addresses. A study link does not by itself validate a claim; findings for an extract do not automatically apply to home-made tea. A database search page is not a study citation. A missing source means the basis is unverified, not that safety or efficacy has been established.
Translations and their status
Czech is the source language. Translations, including English, undergo ongoing checks; a complete specialist or native-language review of all pages is not documented. Agreement between translations does not establish that the original claim is correct.
Safety text needs its meaning checked against the source in every language. An automated audit does not replace that review.
Editorial responsibility
We prepare and correct content with editorial tools, including AI. Automated checks look for missing translations, source-language leakage and technical errors. They do not verify plant identification, efficacy or safety of use. The catalogue is under ongoing review; we do not claim that every page has been approved by a healthcare professional or another specialist.
Found an error?
When reporting an error, include the page URL, its language, the specific disputed sentence and a source link if available. Do not send medical records or other sensitive information. Plant identification and safety errors take priority. Corrections are applied to the Czech source and affected translations and released as traceable changes.