KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysian researchers claim they have created a nutty alternative to Viagra based on walnuts in a pill more healthy than its pharmaceutical counterpart, according to a report on June 3rd.

Kim Kah Hwi, who headed the team of researchers from the the University of Malaya, said he was inspired to look into walnuts after reading about their use in history, the Star daily reported.

"I read articles about the Romans and French having eaten walnuts for this purpose. I thought if it had been documented that long ago, then there surely has to be something there," he told the newspaper.

It took Kim and his research team two years to develop "N-Hanz", tablets which contain walnut extract and have shown positive results on 40 volunteers against erectile dysfunction.

"It takes about an hour for the effects to set in and it will last for about four hours," said Kim.

"Furthermore, because it is not a drug, it is safe for those with hypertension or diabetes, or (those) who have recently had heart bypasses," he said.

Some of the volunteers had undergone bypass surgery, Kim added.

Kim said the active ingredient was an amino acid called arginine, which is absorbed into the body and converted into nitric oxide, according to the newspaper.

"This enlarges blood vessels and enhances blood flow to the penis," he said.

The newspaper said "N-Hanz" had won a gold medal for best invention at a recent technology and invention exhibition in Malaysia, while Kim said it had been approved by Malaysia's health ministry.