Do you sometimes look up herbal remedies online before taking any medication? You are not alone. Many individuals turn to home-based treatments in hopes of finding safer or more natural alternatives.
However, if you often refer to herbal guides available online, it is worth going through this article.
A recent investigation of herbal remedy books on Amazon has found that a significant number of these publications may be written using artificial intelligence and attributed to authors whose identities cannot be confirmed.
This situation has raised concerns about how health-related advice is being presented to the public, particularly for individuals who may use herbs in place of or alongside prescribed treatments.
A study conducted by Originality.ai reviewed 558 paperback books listed in Amazon’s Herbal Remedies category between January and September 2025.
The study reported that 82% of these books showed strong indications of being generated by AI, based on patterns in sentence structure, phrasing, and similarity across multiple titles.[1]
In addition, many of the authors listed on these books did not have a verifiable professional background, public profile, or clinical training in herbal medicine. Several author names appeared to be reused across multiple unrelated titles, suggesting possible use of pseudonyms.[1]
On Amazon’s list of popular herbal remedy books, The Natural Healing Handbook appears to be a regular wellness guide. The cover highlights plants and mentions traditional healing methods, making it look like a simple resource for people interested in natural care.
However, the author listed on the book, “Luna Filby,” described as an Australian herbal expert, is not a real person.
“We inputted Luna’s author biography, book summary, and any available sample pages. All came back flagged as likely AI-generated with 100% confidence", the report states.[1]
This issue involves several groups:
Readers seeking guidance on natural or plant-based treatments.
Patients who may use herbs alongside prescribed medicines.
Healthcare professionals, as they may need to advise patients who refer to such material.
Online marketplaces, particularly Amazon, which provides a self-publishing platform.
Herbal preparations can play a role in wellness, but they must be used correctly.
Dosage, preparation methods, and potential interactions with medications are important considerations.
"These likely AI-generated fables neglect details, consequences and nuance. Only a primary care provider—or even an in-person herbalist will be able to speak to you about your medical situation," the report warns.
If a guide provides misleading or incomplete information, it could result in:
Unsafe dosing
Delayed medical treatment
Combining herbs and medicines in harmful ways
Use of herbs that are unsuitable for certain health conditions
For example, some herbal remedies can interact with blood-thinners, diabetes medication, or blood pressure drugs. Because of this, health organizations generally recommend consulting trained professionals before starting herbal therapies.
There’s a huge amount of herbal research out there right now that’s absolutely rubbish. AI won’t know how to sift through all the dross. It would lead people astray.Sue Sprung, a medical herbalist based in Liverpool, in an interview with The Guardian.
The rise of AI-generated herbal books may be linked to several factors:
Self-publishing platforms allow fast release of large quantities of books.
Search ranking algorithms may prioritize books with repeated key terms like “holistic,” “natural,” or “ancient.”
Books with polished covers and familiar phrases may appear credible even when the authors cannot be verified.
The study also noted that many books shared similar chapter layouts, repeated wording, and broad, generalized health claims.[1]
Amazon has stated that it follows strict content policies and uses monitoring systems to identify and remove material that does not comply. A company representative noted that they dedicate substantial effort and resources to ensure these rules are followed.
However, several industry specialists question how effective these measures truly are.[1]
Any ebook that’s absolutely AI-written must be labelled as such. And AI slop have to be eliminated as a matter of urgency.Dan Conway, CEO of the UK Publishers Association
The report from Originality.ai describes this situation as a growing wave of AI-generated material appearing in Amazon’s herbal remedy category. The analysis noted several repeating patterns:
Many of the listed author names included words such as Rose, Fern, or Sage, possibly chosen to create a natural or traditional impression.
A large portion of book titles used the same group of terms, including Apothecary, Ancient, Holistic, and Bible.
These books were generally priced lower than those written by verified authors and were noticeably shorter in length.[4]
So what steps can readers take to steer clear of these possibly unreliable books? How can you tell when a piece of writing was probably generated by AI? Fortunately, there are several common signs and repeated patterns that can help you recognize it.
Check the author’s credentials. Look for clear training in herbal medicine, traditional medicine, pharmacy, Ayurveda, naturopathy, or related health fields.
Look for referenced sources. Reliable books usually cite studies, traditional medical texts, or academic research.
Be cautious of books that promise quick cures or “one remedy for all conditions.”
Look out for repetitive language patterns in titles. The repetitive pattern suggests that the content may not have been written by a person drawing on individual knowledge, but instead generated through automated text production.
Consult a healthcare professional before starting herbal treatment, especially if you have medical conditions or take prescribed medicines.
Not all self-published herbal books are inaccurate, but the growing presence of unverified or AI-generated content means extra awareness is useful.
The findings from the Originality.ai review highlight the need for transparency in health-related publishing on digital platforms. Since herbal remedies involve real physiological effects, it is important that information is accurate and that readers are able to recognize when a source may not be based on verified expertise.
Ongoing efforts to label or disclose AI-assisted publications and verify author identities may help improve the reliability of herbal health information available online.
Accurate health information depends on trustworthy sources. When using self-published medical material online, it is important to review it carefully and seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional if anything is unclear.
1. Originality.ai. Likely AI-Generated “Herbal Remedies” Books on Amazon Study. 2025. https://originality.ai/blog/likely-ai-herbal-remedies-books-study.
(Rh/Eth/SS)