Malaysian University to Study Honey as Remedy for Muslim Pilgrims’ Coughs, Asthma

USM Sending Researchers to Mecca for Studies on Haj Pilgrims
Bernama (Malaysia), 12/5/2007

PENANG, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- A team of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) are leaving for Mecca to conduct studies on the use of Tualang bee honey as a remedy for coughs and asthma that often affect haj pilgrims.

The university's Haj Research Project director Prof Dr Kamarulazizi Ibrahim said the research was being conducted in collaboration with the Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to reporters after sending 10 of 25 USM researchers to Mecca at the Bayan Lepas International Airport today, he said the university also received the cooperation from the Pilgrims Fund Board Malaysia.

He said that as part of the research, the pilgrims were divided into three groups. The first was given Tualang bee honey, the second received influenza vaccines while the third would serve as a control group.

"This will enable us to know the effectiveness of Tualang bee honey and influenza vaccines against coughs and asthma," he said…