A former UAE graduate has received a UK patent for discovering a substance in natural honey that cures cancer.

Sudanese researcher Dr Rasha Al Haj said a substance in natural honey helped her cure three cancers - colorectal, breast and ovarian - back in her home country. Completing her PhD in bioengineering, the researcher received her patent from Imperial College London.

"The colorectal cancer patient was told she had two weeks to live. The breast cancer patient was cured by honey without any chemotherapy or medical intervention," said Al Haj, a bachelor's degree holder in biological science from the UAE University, on the sidelines of the Hatta Honey Festival.

She is currently working with seven other cases of breast, thyroid and colorectal cancer and sarcoma where the response rate recorded is high. The variety of antioxidants in the Sudanese honey, she said, inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

"As part of my research, I tested different kinds of honey, but the Sudanese honey had the most effective results because it has a large number of antioxidants," said Al Haj.

She noted that while the substance responsible for inhibiting cancer cell growth is found in every variety of natural honey, its intensity varies from one type to another. "It depends on the type of bee, the rearing station, ground cover - the highest quality of honey is harvested by the African bees."

Al Haj is working on using honey as a medical intervention for cancer patients. She recently founded "The Amal Initiative" - a project to bring healing and hope to cancer patients.

Using tissue culture to contain the viral diseases, Al Haj said that Sudanese honey achieved an 85 per cent result, compared to 35 per cent of other types of honey. The researcher plans to explore partnering opportunities with medical centres and clinics in the UAE, she noted.

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