MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF
“KOLA KENDA”
Dr. K.A.B. Fernando BAMS (Hon’s) University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
“Kola Kenda” is a Sri Lankan herbal soup which made of indigenous leaves, local rice, water, coconut milk and garlic. Kola kenda is said to be one of the healthiest options for breakfast. It fills the stomach leaving no space for hunger since it contains steamed rice and herbs.”
Some of the indigenous leaves that used to make this porridge are gotu kola (Centella asiatica), mukunuwenna (Alternanthera sessilis), hathawariya (Asparagus recemosus), iramusu (Hemidesmus indicus), wel penela (Cardiospermum halicacabum), ranawara (Senna auriculata), niramulliya (Hygrophila schulli), monara kudumbiya (Vernonia cinerea), polpala (Aerva lanata), hin udupiyaliya (Desmodium triflorum), hin bowitiya (Osbeckia octrandra), karapincha (Murraya koenigii), kiri aguna (Tylophora pauciflora), divul (Schinus limonia), bakmee (Nauclea orientalis), beheth anoda (Abutilon asiaticuin), erabadu (Erythrina variegata) and vishnukranthi (Evolvulus alsinoides)
Gotukola: (Centella asiatica), is very good nutritional supplement as the brain stimulant for intelligence and has the cooling effect. It increases the appetite, digestion, longevity, voice, memory, creative thinking and has supportive action for defecation. This plant is medicinally effective for unmāda, apasmāra (epilepsy), kusta, pāndu, pramēha, pēnasa dry cough and swelling conditions.
Mugunuwenna: (Alternanthera sessilis), has the cooling effect with pitta shamana property. It increases the appetite and use for cough, hiccough, wheezing, and ophthalmic diseases. It increases the body strength, breast milk and bile secretion.
Hthawariya: (Asparagus recemosus) has cooling effect with pitta sāmaka and vāta nāsaka properties. This is effective for burning sensation of the body, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, Jaundice, pandu, wounds and blisters. This also purified the blood and strengthen the body.
Iramusu: (Hemidesmus indicus) has the pitta sāmaka and shukra dhāthu wardaka effect. It increases the appetite, body strength and effective for vatarakta conditions.
Niramulliya: (Hygrophila schulli) medicinally valuable for dysuria, breast milk deficiency, cystitis, urinary problems, pitta athisara, and amavata like diseases.
Vel penela: (Cardiospermum halicacabum) is very good nutrient supplement. This increases the digestion and has muthrakaraka (increase urination) effect. This plant effective for joint swelling, Neural disorders, haemorrhoids, chronic cough, tuberculosis, and weight loss. It strengthens the body with the nervous system. This plant medicinally helpful for the hernia, impotence, oligospermia and tremors due to alcoholism.
Leaves and flowers are the main parts of ranawara: (Senna auriculata) plant that use to prepare kola kenda. This plant reduces the pitta, slēsma and medicinally effective for nocturnal emission, all types of pramēha, leucorrhoea, bleeding conditions and blood purification.
Monarakudumbiya: (Vernonia cinerea) is medicinally valuable for hepatomegaly, jaundice and detoxification of the body.
Polpala: (Aerva lanata) plant increase the appetite, decrease the burning sensation of the body and very effective for detoxification. It medicinally effective for urinary calculi, oliguria, urinary retention and oedema conditions.
Kiri aguna: (Tylophora pauciflora) leaves soup can use for toxicity of rats’ bites and other toxic conditions. This plant medicinally effective for wheezing, bronchitis, indigestion, pitta prakopa conditions, fever, headache, constipation and has the effect of rejuvenation.
Divul: (Schinus limonia) leaves are very valuable for toxicity due to rats, Asian water monitor, dogs and cats’ bites. It has the effect of vāta anulomana and medicinally useful for flatulence and gastritis.
Karapincha: (Murraya koenigii) leaves increase the appetite and decrease the internal and external burning sensation of the body. This leaves medicinally effective for flatulence, worm infections, snake bites, skin diseases, abdominal pain and indigestion like conditions.
Whole plant of Hin udupiyaliya: (Desmodium triflorum) can use as a medicinal soup for jaundice, toxicity, snake bites, ophthalmic disorders, diarrhoea, gastritis and very effective for diarrhoea conditions in children.
Hin bowitiya: (Osbeckia octrandra) leaves soup has mild bitter taste and has medicinal effect for jaundice with liver protection. Beheth anoda (Abutilon asiaticuin) leaves soup is very effective for cardiac disorders, bleeding conditions, uterine problems, prameha, raktharshas, polyurea and burning sensation of the body.
Bakmee: (Nauclea orientalis) leaves and bark soup can prepare by the using of coconut milk, heeneti hal (rice) and kithul hakuru (gaggery) without the salt. It has thetridosha hara effect. This is medicinally useful for liver disorders, jaundice, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, raktapitta conditions, fever, oedema, urinary calculi, oliguria and thirst. Kola kenda nourishes and rejuvenates the whole system. It gives clear, healthy and glowing skin. It also stops premature greying, encourages hair growth and prevent hair from falling. Kola kenda also improves the digestive process and its antitoxic properties makes tonic condition for the whole body. It increases the immunity of the immune system and able to cure varies diseases. Kola kenda is a refreshing way to start the day as very good nutrient supplement.
