Doctors in Australia have been given the go ahead to use what is described as the world's first medical honey to treat wounds and infections that resist traditional medication.
General practitioners in Queensland can prescribe and use Medihoney from May 1st. The honey will also be used in the state's public hospitals.
The honey comes from bees that feed on the flowers of a rare Australian tree.
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Mr Henry Palaszczuk say the product has been approved by state medial officials because of its anti-bacterial properties.
Good results were obtained in tests when doctors applied the honey to patients suffering from leg ulcers and bedsores.
Mr Palaszczuk commented: "When the honey was applied to wounds that had previously not healed, many achieved closure after two to three months."
Scientists are not sure why the honey has medicinal qualities.
The honey is made from the nectar of bees which feed for a short time each year on flowers of the leptospermum or western tea tree, found in two areas of eastern Australia.
PA