-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Sure , you know these five creatures as stinging , biting merchants of death . But is n't it time we put aside our differences and embraced the positive ? A creepy crawler from this guy 's family could save your brain from cancer some day . 1 . Poison dart frogs : The heart-healthy choice It could kill you : You know an animal is bad news when its sweat was once considered a state-of-the-art military technology . Meet the poison dart frog , which secretes a highly dangerous neurotoxin , called batrachotoxin , through its pores . In fact , various Latin American tribes used to collect the stuff -LRB- carefully -RRB- to poison the tips of their arrows for hunting and warfare . Interestingly , however , the frogs do n't produce their own toxin . They get it from eating insects that most likely pick up the poison from the plants they consume . The same frogs , if raised in a laboratory rather than the rain forest , are n't poisonous at all . But it just might cure you : Before batrachotoxin stops your heart , it speeds it up . Consequently , medical experts believe it might be possible to tweak elements of the frog 's toxin to bring patients out of cardiac arrest and potentially save lives . And because it also deadens nerve endings , batrachotoxin has potential as an ingredient in anesthetics . Watch how gator blood may be become super drug '' Studies into other uses of the toxin are still in the early stages , but the frog 's medical benefits bolster the argument for preserving the rainforest . Most scientists believe we 've only just begun to grasp the pharmaceutical possibilities of some of the world 's rarest and deadliest creatures . 2 . Scorpions : Leading the battle against brain cancer It could kill you : For the most part , scorpions use their toxins to capture prey , ward off competitors during mating season , and defend themselves against larger predators . Unfortunately , humans count as larger predators . A sting by some species can leave you with any number of potentially deadly conditions , including heart and lung failure . But it just might cure you : Medical researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham -LRB- UAB -RRB- have discovered a new use for scorpion venom -- cancer medication . Each year , some 9,000 Americans are diagnosed with malignant glioma , a form of brain cancer that kills about half its victims within a year of diagnosis . Glioma cells work a lot like cockroach muscle cells . And while that fact is pretty disgusting , it also got UAB researchers thinking about the giant Israeli scorpion , whose venom is harmless to humans but deadly to its cockroach prey . Doctors found that when they injected a drug derived from the venom of giant Israeli scorpions into cancer-infected human brains , the poison destroyed the glioma cells and left surrounding , healthy cells alone . The treatment is still in the early stages of development , but researchers remain optimistic . 3 . Cone shell snails : Little creatures tackling big pain It could kill you : Thanks to their unique colors and intricate patterns , cone shells look like they 'd make great beach souvenirs . But watch your fingers ; they 're actually home to one of the world 's deadliest creatures . Cone shell snails come equipped with an extendable `` arm '' -- complete with a sharp , venomous tooth -- that they use to immobilize and kill prey . And while the venom certainly helps the slow-moving hunters from going hungry , it can also paralyze , or even kill , victims . The good news : Death by cone shell is completely painless . But it just might cure you : Cone shell venom , called conotoxin , has incredible potential as a painkiller , with one added bonus : Unlike many current anesthetics , conotoxin is n't addictive . In 2005 , Ireland-based Elan Pharmaceuticals became the first company to market a drug made from the venom . Called Prialt , the drug is pumped into the fluid around a patient 's spine to relieve chronic pain and is believed to be up to 1,000 times more powerful than morphine . Meanwhile , at the University of Melbourne , a research team headed by Professor Bruce Livett is currently developing another conotoxin-based painkiller called ACV1 , which was first tested on humans in the summer of 2005 . Unlike Prialt , however , ACV1 does n't affect a patient 's blood pressure and can be injected under the skin , making it a lot less intimidating . Plus , ACV1 is believed to be as much as 10,000 times stronger than morphine . 4 . Vipers : Lowering your blood pressure since 1981 It could kill you : Most vipers are scary enough as is , but jararaca vipers are venomous to boot . But what 's truly fascinating is the unique way their venom works . Unlike a traditional toxin , viper venom functions by preventing the blood from clotting , meaning the snakes actually kill their victims by causing them to bleed to death . But it just might cure you : Lucky for us , slow-clotting blood is n't always a bad thing . Researchers have found that small doses of viper venom can prevent arteries from hardening , thus stopping the kinds of blood clots that commonly occur in cardiac patients . In fact , jararaca viper venom -LRB- or at least a synthesized version of it -RRB- is a key ingredient in most of today 's ACE inhibitors . Introduced in 1981 , ACE inhibitors work by slowing down the body 's angiotensin converting enzyme -LRB- ACE -RRB- . When left untreated , the enzyme can produce a peptide that causes muscle constriction around blood vessels . That kind of constriction can set off a chain reaction whereby a person 's blood vessels narrow and his or her blood pressure shoots through the roof , leading to greater risk of heart attack and other ailments . Because the ACE inhibitors can stop this domino effect , they 're frequently used to treat millions of men and women with high blood pressure . 5 . Gila monsters : Attacking type 2 diabetes It could kill you : One of only two species of venomous lizards , the Gila monster is native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico . Unlike other deadly critters , Gila monsters do n't inject venom directly into their victims . Instead , poison oozes from the lizard 's teeth into the open wounds of its prey , usually while the Gila monster is chewing . Because of this , human fatalities from Gila monster bites are rare , but a bite can cause intense pain , nausea , swelling , fatigue , dizziness , and chills -- none of which is particularly fun . But it just might cure you : In addition to causing all those nasty side effects , Gila monster venom stimulates insulin production and slows down glucose production , which is great news for diabetics . Byetta , a drug manufactured by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly & Company to treat Type 2 diabetes , uses a manufactured form of Gila monster venom as its main ingredient . Approved by the FDA in April of 2005 , Byetta is injected before meals to help their bodies produce the right amount of insulin at the right time -- the best part being that it does n't cause the mood swings often associated with traditional insulin regimens . E-mail to a friend For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com