Traditional Use of Indigenous and Naturalized Plants for Cosmetic and Dermatological Applications in North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Objective Ethnobotanical knowledge of traditional cosmetic plants remains poorly documented in many regions of Ethiopia. This study aimed to document herbal cosmetic plant species used by local communities of North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, for beautification of the human body, and to identify the major threats currently affecting these plant resources. Methods A community-based, cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the North Shewa Zone from December 2023 to January 2024. Results Fifty-four documented plant-use records, representing 49 unique herbal cosmetic plant species from 28 families, were recorded. Lamiaceae was the most represented family (7 species, 14.3%), followed by Solanaceae (5 species, 10.2%) and Asteraceae (4 species, 8.2%). Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (47.1% of all part-mentions), followed by fruits and seeds (13.2% each), roots (11.8%), stems (7.4%), flowers and bark (2.9% each). Crushing, milling, and grinding to powder were the predominant preparation methods. Documented cosmetic applications included the treatment of fungal and bacterial skin infections, wound and burn care, and toothache relief. Agricultural expansion, overgrazing, fuelwood collection, charcoal production, and tree felling for construction were identified as the principal threats to cosmetic plant resources. Conclusion This study provides baseline ethnobotanical documentation of herbal cosmetic plants in North Shewa Zone. Given the identified threats to plant diversity, urgent implementation of both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies is recommended to preserve these plant resources for future generations.