Researchers have found that baking garden rhubarb for 20 minutes dramatically increases its levels of polyphenols – an anti¬-cancerous chemical.

Researchers believe polyphenols could be used to develop new less toxic treatments for the disease because they have been shown to selectively kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells.

“Our researcher has shown that British rhubarb is a potential source of pharmacological agents that may be used to develop new anti-cancerous drugs,” said Dr Nikki Jordan-Mahy from the Sheffield Hallam University’s Biomedical Research Centre.

“Current treatments are not effective in all cancers and resistance is a common problem. Cancer affects one in three individuals in the UK so it’s very important to discover novel, less toxic treatments which can overcome resistance,” she continued.

Researchers – together with the Scottish Crop Research Institute – will now study the effects of rhubarb’s polyphenols on leukaemia. They hope to discover the best combination of the chemical and chemotherapy to kill leukaemia cells, even those resistant to treatment.

Oriental medicinal rhubarb has been recognised for its health benefits and is used in traditional Chinese medicine, but it’s the first time the benefits of British garden rhubarb – specifically a variety grown in South Yorkshire – have been studied.