An Algerian researcher, Djamila Souiki Kadhi, claimed Sunday to have discovered a plant capable of guaranteeing women a baby boy, the official APS news agency reported.
Souiki Kadhi said the plant was called "menhir" or "dolmen" and had been found in an archaeological site in eastern Algeria.
She said the plant's properties had been tested over 18 years on more than 440 Algerian and three foreign women who had previously given birth only to daughters and the results were "very satisfying".
She said the plant could have originally come from Egypt, because the site where it was found points to links with the Pharaohs. Souiki Kadhi added that it may have been used by the ancient Egyptians in the mummification process.
She said US researchers had expressed an interest in looking into the plants' DNA, and US, Arab, Canadian, French and British firms had contacted her with large offers for the discovery on condition that she abandon her Algerian nationality. She refused, she said.
Souiki Kadhi refused to reveal the secret of her discovery, but urged the Algerian authorities to support her in developing the find - ALGIERS (AFP)
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