KOTA BARU, MALAYSIA: Medical research has proven that madu tualang, a type of honey, can boost the libido besides reducing the threat of lung infections and coughing common in arid desert conditions.

An interim study by Universiti Sains Malaysia's School of Pathology and Medicine Education Dean Prof Dr Nor Hayati Othman found that certain hormones in madu tualang, also called blackgold honey, can boost the testosterone level in men, which would in turn heighten libido.

The honey also helps the body build resistance to easily transmitted coughs and lung infections which surface in arid conditions, she said when briefing a Fama delegation.

"The research has proven the value-added properties of madu tualang samples collected from Sik, Kuala Berang and Baling in Kedah," said Fama director-general Datuk Shariff Abdul Aziz.

Last year, Fama managed to stockpile 100 metric tonnes of the honey on its own and bought an additional 20 metric tonnes from private honey collectors.

The honey was collected from bee nests located at tree tops at a height of 200m upwards; about 20 to 30 nests were found per tree.

The research findings lend credence to the medicinal value of the honey, said Shariff.

While the honey had not received much commercial acceptance previously, now Fama plans to place the honey bottles for sale at the country's entry and exit points, including international airports, Shariff said.

Fama has also decided to market the honey in Mecca, making it the first locally sourced honey to be exported.

In Mecca, the honey can be used as preventive medicine against coughs and lung infections among haj pilgrims, Shariff said.

He also announced that Fama had donated 230kg of the honey to USM for research beyond the 21 uses that USM has already conducted for treating cuts, cancer, bone marrow and low sperm count.

The Government has allocated RM1mil to the university for the new research.