In Siddha, the same medicine may be prescribed with water, honey, milk, ghee, ginger juice, buttermilk, or warm water.
This is called Anupanam (Adjuvant).
But why change the vehicle if the medicine is the same?
Traditional Siddha considers the adjuvant an important part of treatment, believed to influence the medicine’s action according to the patient’s Thega Nilai (Constitutional phenotype) and condition.
Interestingly, modern pharmacology also recognizes that food, fats, gastric pH, and bioenhancers can affect a drug’s absorption, bioavailability, and metabolism.
Maybe the medicine isn’t the only active player.
Sometimes, how it is delivered matters too.
Could traditional concepts like Anupanam inspire future drug delivery research?
MBH/PS