title: Antioxidant potential of green leafy porridges.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antioxidant potential of porridges (kola kenda) made incorporating herbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study. Main outcome measures Total phenolic content was estimated by Folin Ciocalteau method (GAEmg/g(FW) and the antioxidant potential by ABTS free radical scavenging activity (TEAC(μg)/100g (FW).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total phenolics and antioxidant potentials of porridges ranged from 5-73 TEAC(μg) /100g and 0.9- 34.2 GAEg/100g respectively. Significantly high (p ≤ 0.05) total phenolic contents were observed in C. auriculata ("Ranawara") [342 GAE mg/g (FW)] and in M. koenigii ("Karapincha") [199 GAEmg/g(FW)]. The highest antioxidant effect was in C. auriculata ("Ranawara") [73 TEAC(μg)/100g(FW)] followed by M. koenigi ("Karapincha") [26 TEAC(μg)/100g (FW)] and C. ternatea ("Ela Katarolu") [24 TEAC(μg)/100g (FW)]. Lowest antioxidant effect was in porridges made with rice and coconut milk both of which had comparable values. A positive correlation (correlation coefficient > 0.8) between total phenolics and the antioxidant potential was observed for all porridges except for Asparagus racemosus (Haathawariya) porridge which had a high antioxidant potential with a low phenolic content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that green leafy porridges are a good source of antioxidants in addition to their reported low glycaemic indices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. sagarikae@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S P A S
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Senadheera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekanayake
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wanigatunge
mesh_terms: D045471:Aegle; D027703:Amaranthaceae; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027761:Asparagus Plant; D002366:Cassia; D031292:Clitoria; D003059:Cocos; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031102:Hemidesmus; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D032101:Murraya; D012275:Oryza; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029631:Sapindaceae; D036721:Scoparia; D013188:Sri Lanka
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D028321:Plant Preparations