Sexed up shellfish 'worth millions' 

Oysters mixed with Viagra sounds like a marriage made in heaven and for one Australian marketing executive it is proving to be a potential money spinner.

It was George May, while recovering from surgery for prostate cancer, who apparently came up with the idea of feeding the impotency drug to oysters to create the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Already it has proved an overnight sensation on the internet, becoming the fastest growing web news story since the September 11 attacks, with more than 700,000 hits in 24 hours.

The science is simple, according to May.  Harvested oysters are put into tanks with dissolved Viagra, whereupon the filter feeding molluscs absorb the nutrients in the water.

May claims tests have proven his oysters show trace elements of the active ingredient in Viagra.

"It's the best aphrodisiac in the world from nature and, no question, the best man-made aphrodisiac.  You stick them both together and...it's great."

It wasn't hard getting veteran oyster farmers Royden Whitten and Barry Lambert on board. They too were in need of a lift with falling oyster prices and the devastation caused by a rare disease ruining many Sydney rock oyster growers.

"We're hoping this will just turn the whole thing around," says Lambert.

There has reportedly been interest in the sexed up oysters from Asia and the Middle East - a market May estimates could be worth millions of dollars.

But there is no market in Australia or New Zealand because, as a prescription drug, Viagra cannot be sold with oysters.  Authorities say it is "clearly very dangerous".

The other big problem is that Viagra is owned by drug company Pfizer, which is threatening to sue for breach of trademark if the scheme goes ahead.