Your post reminds of the popular alcohol based herbal extracts usually sold around motor parks and taken primarily to relieve back pains. It is called "ọ̀pá ẹyin" in Yoruba, meaning "spinal cord".
This is a really good way to look at the subject. Would be interesting to see if there are variations in herbal extract preparation all over the world.
Ọ̀pá ẹyin, ale, afato......the taxonomy is quite many. Those park managers and driver are gross abuser of that herbal extracts.