I don't know about better ... but you could create a c function that evaluates strings (ala perlembed):

#include <EXTERN.h>
#include <perl.h>

static PerlInterpreter *my_perl;

SV* my_eval_sv(SV *sv, I32 croak_on_error)
{
   dSP;
   SV* retval;
   STRLEN n_a;

   PUSHMARK(SP);
   eval_sv(sv, G_SCALAR);

   SPAGAIN;
   retval = POPs;
   PUTBACK;

   if (croak_on_error && SvTRUE(ERRSV))
      croak(SvPVx(ERRSV, n_a));

   return retval;
}


main (int argc, char **argv, char **env)
{
   STRLEN n_a;
   char *embedding[] = { "", "-e", "0" };
   SV *var, *cmd;

   my_perl = perl_alloc();
   perl_construct( my_perl );

   perl_parse(my_perl, NULL, 3, embedding, NULL);
   perl_run(my_perl);

   var = newSVpvf( "%s", "ybred" );

   printf( "var is %s\n", SvPV(var,n_a) );

   cmd = newSVpvf( "reverse('%s');", SvPV(var,n_a) );
   var = my_eval_sv( cmd, TRUE );

   printf( "var is %s\n", SvPV(var,n_a) );

   perl_destruct(my_perl);
   perl_free(my_perl);
}
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-derby