"Many studies have demonstrated the usefulness of honey in a variety of clinical conditions. Honey has been used in folk medicine in Pakistan since long time ago," Dr. M. Kamran Azim, assistant professor Dr. Panjwani Center Molecular and Drug Research Medicine (PCMD) University of Karachi (KU), expressed these views while delivering a lecture on "Health beneficial properties of honey in relation to the diseases prevalent in Pakistan" held in the Prof. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui auditorium of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, KU.

The conference was jointly organized by Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research and Virtual Education Project Pakistan (LVPW) as part of the popular series of public awareness of the common diseases of Pakistan conferences.

Dr. Azim has led the team that carried out the sequencing of the first Pakistani individual genome. During the last decade, Dr. Azim has conducted considerable research on the characterization of beneficial health properties of honey. He said the history and science of honey confirm their role in health promotion and disease treatment.

In Pakistan, honey is obtained from colonies and eastern European bees foraged in the variety of flora plant. He added that due to the richness of the flora of bees, different types of honey are available. Honey produced from each plant species and each geographical area has its own color, taste and medicinal properties.

He said: "People are busy in studies on honey long, but the beneficial health properties can not be revealed completely Pakistan produces honey in large quantities Saudi Arabia honey imports from Pakistan, and then.. export marked Arabia. the honey is used by people from various countries, including Saudi Arabia and Argentina, as alternative medicine ".

He said the people of Pakistan witnessed great benefits of different unifloral and multifloral honey produced in the plains and the Himalayan regions of Punjab and northwestern provinces of Pakistan. Honey exhibits antibacterial, immune-modulating and activities to relieve pain.

Recent research has revealed the utility of honey and its components in various conditions such as gastroenteritis, analgesia, inflammation and diabetes. During the last decade, ICCBS carried out considerable research on the characterization of beneficial health properties of honey.

The institute has investigated bioactivities of proteins peptides present in natural honey obtained from different geographical regions of Pakistan