Medicinal Plants for Dermatological and Cosmetic Applications: Ethnobotanical Study from Northern Lithuania

Ethnopharmacological studies are growing in number in Europe; however, research on medicinal plants in Lithuania focusing on dermatological and cosmetic applications is still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate ethnobotanical heritage related to the treatment of skin diseases and cosmetic use in Northern Lithuania and to assess the compliance of traditional medicinal plant use indications with European Union herbal monographs. This study involved 36 participants aged 40 to 89. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. This study documented 76 plant species belonging to 41 botanical families for the treatment of skin diseases and cosmetic purposes. This knowledge was primarily transmitted through family traditions, with 59.2% of respondents reporting that they acquired this knowledge from parents or grandparents. The medicinal plants most frequently mentioned for the treatment of skin diseases and cosmetic purposes were Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. and Plantago major L. The most popular preparation method was topical application (32.4%) for treating skin diseases and decoction (38.5%) for cosmetic purposes. Plant-based raw materials were most often used to treat skin wounds (24.5%), as well as skin inflammation (16.3%) and burns (12.1%). For cosmetic purposes, the most frequently mentioned indication was dry skin (23.6% of plants). Of the 76 recorded plant species, 41 (53.9%) were not included in herbal monographs, and only 15 species (42.86%) were used in accordance with approved medical indications for skin diseases. Many plant species are used without European Medicines Agency-approved medical indications, relying solely on traditional and folk knowledge.