A common garden plant could be a key ingredient in the destruction of cancer cells

Scientists have announced that a common garden flower kills cancer cells.

A study conducted at the University of Birmingham revealed that feverfew can destroy leukemic cells.

Feverfew, which comes from the Latin word that means "fever reducer," is grown in many gardens in the UK and has long been thought to have healing properties.

It is sold in many health food stores as a migraine remedy and other ailments.

The researchers said the parthenolide compound, present in its leaves, could play a key role in treating cancer after it has been modified to attack tumors.

Professor John Fossey said: "This is important because we have shown a way to produce parthenolide that could make it much more accessible and also because we have been able to improve its" drug "properties to destroy cancer cells.

"This is a clear demonstration that parthenolide has the potential to move from the flowerbed to the clinic."

The parthenolide compound appears to act by increasing the number of reactive species of oxygen, causing the death of cancer cells.