Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants Used for Cosmetic Purposes in The Fez-Meknes Region

Abstract

Ethnobotanical studies have often neglected plants of cosmetic interest, focusing mainly on medicinal or food plants. This study aims to identify the plants used for cosmetic purposes in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco. 70 herbalists from different towns in the Fez-Meknes region were interviewed individually using a closed and validated questionnaire containing questions on plants used for skin, hair, oral, nail, and underarm care. As well as plants used for the treatment of dermatosis. Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) were employed in data analysis. A total of 108 plant species belonging to 50 families have been recorded. The most representative families were Lamiaceae and Fabaceae with 11 species for each, followed by Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Rosaceae. The majority of medicinal plants were used in hair care (ICF=0.88) and face care treatments (ICF=0.75). High Use Value was recorded for Lavandulaofficinalis L. (UV =0.6), Rosa damascena Mill (UV =0.6), Myrtus communis L. (UV=0.52), and Matricaria chamomilla L. (UV=0.45). The most utilized plant part was stated as leaves (26%) followed by seeds (20%) and fruits (12%). They were used as a powder (34 %), or decoction (21 %). This study listed the plants used in cosmetics in the Fez-Meknes region, and the data collected could be used to develop the plant-based cosmetics industry through the isolation and characterization of bioactive molecules from the plant species identified, as well as the preservation of ancestral knowledge.