Anupana
The “carrier” taken with an Ayurvedic herb — hot water, honey, ghee or warm milk — which directs, strengthens or softens its action in the body.
Anupana literally means “that which is drunk after” or “along with”: it is the carrier that accompanies the intake of a herb or preparation. In Ayurveda it is never an afterthought — the tradition holds that it transports the herb, aids its assimilation, and can direct, strengthen or soften its action. The same powder taken with honey or with ghee is not expected to produce exactly the same effect.
The great classics: hot water, the universal carrier that supports digestion; honey (never heated), which “scrapes” and suits Kapha states; ghee, which carries deep into the tissues and soothes Pitta and Vata; warm milk, nourishing, for tonics; room-temperature water or coconut water for cooling. The logic follows the doshas: you choose a carrier that works in the same direction as the intended effect.
A concrete example: ashwagandha is traditionally taken in warm milk in the evening — that is exactly the recipe for moon milk — whereas triphala is taken in hot water. Even your drink at the table plays this role: see why Ayurveda favours hot water in our article on what to drink according to Ayurveda, and what makes ghee so special as a carrier for herbs.