Scared of scorpions? Well they may save your heart and your life one day!!

Ewwwww! You may owe your life to these creepy crawlies one day.

Neointimal hyperplasia is thought to be one of the major causes of failed heart bypass surgeries.  During the surgery, veins are grafted to the heart to improve blood flow, however, the heart often times views this as an injury, inducing a response that leads to a rapid growth of cells that can acutally end up impeding blood flow.

Researchers from Leeds University, found that margotoxin, a toxic peptide found in the Central American bark scorpion (Centruroides margaritatus), was extremely potent as an inhibitor of the "injury response" of the heart.  It is a 100x more potent than any other known compounds.  With further research this toxin may in fact become a new potent therapy that will greatly improve the success of heart bypass surgeries.

You can read more about it here.