Which of the following is used in the preparation of tincture iodine, cough syrup and many tonics?

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a good solvent and disinfectant. It dissolves many substances, allowing for the creation of solutions and suspensions. It has mild antiseptic properties, which can be beneficial in cough syrups and tonics. It evaporates relatively easily, which is desirable in some applications like topical antiseptics (tincture iodine).