Anti-diabetic and anti-cancer related health food properties of selected Sri Lankan traditional rice based porridges.

Four Sri Lankan porridges including madathawalu (MWP), kaluheenati (KHP), mixed rice of sudu heenati, goda heenati, masuran, and dikwee (MXP) and special traditional porridge (STP) were screened for in vitro glycemic indices (GI), α-amylase inhibition and anti-glycation activities. All four porridges had the medium GI values, those were in the range of 40.5 ± 4 to 63.9 ± 2. The highest antiglycation activity was reported for MWP demonstrating IC of 228.20 ± 4.20 µg/mL. In relation to the α-amylase inhibition activity, the porridge extracts of MWP and STP low IC values (117.54 ± 1.92 µg/mL and 128.75 ± 5.91 µg/mL) showed their high capability to inhibit α-amylase enzyme. Due to the medium to low GI values and high antiglycation and α-amylase inhibition activities, traditional rice based porridges can be considered as effective for the prevention of diabetic conditions as well as from various complications in diabetic patients. Anticancer activity against human lung and HeLa cell lines revealed that KHP and MXP exhibited anticancer activity (IC of 274.6 μg/mL and 940.2 μg/mL respectively) against HeLa- human cervical cancer cells. In conclusion, porridge composites prepared using Sri Lankan traditional rice helped to eliminate or notably reduce nutrient deficiencies, and it provided numerous health benefits and economical gains.