Assessment of Ethno-Cosmetic Practices by Local People of Pir Baba Valley, District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Plants are a primary source of sustenance in developing nations, with rural populations relying on them for various purposes, including traditional medicine, cosmetics, construction materials, timber, fuel, and food. An ethno-cosmetic study was conducted in the Pir Baba District of Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during 2023–2024 to document the traditional uses of plants by the local community. The research identified 42 plant species belonging to 26 different families. Herbs accounted for the majority (67.04%) followed by shrubs (21.42%) and trees (9.52%). The most dominant family was Asteraceae, contributing four species (9.52%), followed by Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, and Lamiaceae, each with three species (7.14%). Other families including Liliaceae, Brassicaceae, Mimosaceae, Moraceae, Polygonaceae, Poaceae, and Solanaceae, contributed two species each (4.76%) while the remaining 15 families contributed one species each (2.38%). The study revealed that the entire plant is often used for both medicinal and ethno-cosmetic purposes. The highest Use Value (UV) was recorded for Mentha spicata, while the lowest UV was noted for Pinus roxburghii. Additionally Triticum aestivum had the highest Frequency Citation (FC) (19.00) and Relative Frequency Citation (RFC) (0.95). A Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.611 indicated a strong positive relationship between RFC and UV. The findings highlight the significant role of plants in ethno-cosmetic applications. Further research is needed to explore additional species and analyze their phytochemical constituents, which could contribute to the development of new cosmetic formulations.