Anupan
Anupana( Vehicle or Adjuvant)
Vehicle means “which carries”. It is a substance used as a medium for the administration of medicine.
Adjuvant means “to aid”. It is a substance used to increase the action of principal ingredient.
After the conclusion of these meanings Anupan is a supplementary item added to the main medicine either as a suitable medium or to reduce its bad tastes, or to increases its natural power or to modify it. Anupan which is dissimilar to food but not opposite to the qualities of tissue. Anupana will immediately provide nourishment to the individual helps in easy digestion and enhances strength and age. This supplementary item in most cases will be fluids like milk, water, hot water, cumin seed water, buttermilk, wine, oil, ghee, honey etc. According to Ayurvedic seers among these items considered water as the best vehicle as it is responsible for tastes and maintenance of life.
Benefits of Anupan:-
If Anupana is used after food the following benefits will be seen-
- Anupan gives nourishment to body.
- Anupan increases body energy.
- Anupan gives Roborance
- Anupan gives happiness
- Anupan gives sense of satisfaction
- Anupan settles down the food eaten
- Anupan breaks up the mass of food
- Anupan imparts softness
- Anupan liquefies the food to easy digest.
- Anupan quickens assimilation and diffusion in body
Anupana according to disease condition
- Vata-roga—Snigdha & ushna padarthas
- Pitta-roga—Madhura and seetala padarthas.
- Kapha-roga—ruksha and ushna padarthas.
- Kshaya (Dhatu kshaya)—mamsa rasa (Soups)
- Exhusted by various reasons—ksheera (milk)
- Krisa (lean persons)—sura (beverage)
- Sthula (obese individual)—madhu
- Agnimandya(loss of appetite)—madya (alcohol)
Contraindication for Anupana after food
Anupana cannot be given to persons suffering from
- E.N.T & ophthalmic problems,
- Hikka (high cough)
- Swasa (dysnoea)
- Kasa (cough)
- Singers
- Dancers
- Students who read for long time
- Urah kshata (haemothorax) etc.
