Rhubarb may have anti-cancer properties, finds study

This defense is further enhanced when the rhubarb is eaten after baking it in an oven for 20 minutes.

Dr Gordon McDougall, from Scottish Crop Research Institute’s Plant Products and Food Quality program said, “Our research has shown that British rhubarb is a potential source of pharmacological agents that may be used to develop anti-cancer drugs.

“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.”

Polyphenols abundant in anti-cancer properties
Studying the medicinal properties of rhubarb grown in South Yorkshire, the experts found that its anti-cancer properties are attributed to chemicals known as polyphenols.

These chemicals could kill or halt the growth of cancer cells, and could be instrumental in the developing less toxic treatments for the disease where other cures have failed.

Scientific analysis of raw rhubarb revealed that it has over 40 polyphenol components including anthraquinone, stilbene, anthocyanin, and flavonol derivatives.

They used rhubarb grown indoors in candlelight that produces darker red stem which have higher polyphenols than the paler varieties.

Different ways of cooking compared
To evaluate the health benefits of the components, the scientists compared four different ways of cooking rhubarb. These included blanching, slow cooking, fast cooking, and baking.

The investigators found that all the methods employed in cooking rhubarb elevated the polyphenol content, except when it was eaten in raw form, or when it was blanched.

The maximum benefit was derived when rhubarb was baked. However, over-cooking it can reduce the medicinal benefits.

Dr Gordon McDougall stated, "We have also shown that the levels of these anti-cancer and bioactive components increase if you cook it in a certain way. Baking was the most gentle, in that it didn't destroy those components but released them from the material. It is almost the most common way that people cook rhubarb."

He further added, "Baking for 20 minutes provided well-cooked rhubarb with the highest antioxidant capacity and the highest anthocyanin content."

Giving some insight into the medicines made with hubarb, Dr Nikki Jordan-Mahy, of Sheffield Hallam University, said that they would be most effective if administered along with the prevalent cancer treatments.

However, she cautioned eating baked rhubarb by itself would not exhibit the same effect.

The joint study by Scottish Crop Research Institute with Sheffield Hallam University is published in the Journal Food Chemistry.