what is liniment

Liniment is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. It is a liquid or semiliquid preparation that is applied to the skin as an anodyne or a counterirritant. Liniments are typically sold to relieve pain and stiffness, such as from muscular aches and strains, and arthritis. They are formulated from alcohol, acetone, or similar quickly evaporating solvents and contain counterirritant aromatic chemical compounds, such as methyl salicylate, benzoin resin, menthol, and capsaicin. These compounds produce a feeling of warmth within the muscle of the area they are applied to, typically acting as rubefacients via a counterirritant effect. Liniments are commonly used on horses following exercise, applied either by rubbing on full-strength, especially on the legs, or applied in a diluted form, usually added to a bucket of water and sponged on the body.