Ethnopharmacy for skin diseases and cosmetics in Lithuania: access to health care and risk of self-treatment

Introduction. The limited availability of healthcare in small regions may be one of the factors that influence people choice to rely on traditional medical knowledge. Although the use of ethnopharmaceutical knowledge can offer quick and cost-effective help, it also raises many questions about the safety and effectiveness of its use. [1] The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of the Marijampole region on the use of natural substances for the treatment of skin diseases and for cosmetic purposes, and to determine whether this knowledge is in line with the European Medicines Agency recommendations. Materials and methods. The study was carried out from 2023. in June until 2024 in September Marijampole district, Lithuania. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical code of the International Society for Ethnobiology. The indications for use provided by the respondents were compared with the European Union herbal monographs published by the European Medicines Agency. Results and their discussion. 40 respondents (34 women and 6 men) were interviewed. The survey recorded 62 plant species belonging to 32 plant families and 15 species of natural substances used for skin diseases and cosmetics. The most popular forms of herbal preparations were decoctions (56%), infusions (14 %), poultices (13%) and extracts with oils (11%). Medicinal plants were mainly used to treat wounds (23%), eczema (13%), skin inflammations (29%) and bruises (11%), as well as cosmetics to reduce hair loss (5%) and moisturise the skin (6%). The most commonly used medicinal plants in this study were Chelidonium majus L. (57%), Matricaria recutita L. (46%), Calendula officinalis L. (37%), Urtica dioica L. (51%), Thymus vulgaris L. (55%). Of the 62 taxa mentioned in this study, only 47 % (29) are included in the official monographs of the herbs of the European Medicines Agency. Conclusions. The results of the research revealed that out of 29 plant species included in the monographs of the European Medicines Agency, only 14 (48%) correspond to the ways of use indicated by the respondents. These results indicate the need for a more detailed assessment of the safety and effectiveness of ethnopharmacology knowledge in order to integrate it into modern medicine and cosmetics.