 In literature and legend , the salamander is associated with fire , being supposedly unharmed by the flames , while clothes made from its skins or ' wool ' were believed to be incombustible . More plausibly , salamanders were said to be intensely poisonous . Despite this , salamander brandy , a drink prepared by dunking live salamanders in fermenting fruit juices , is reputed to have hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac properties . The salamander 's ability to regenerate lost body parts is being investigated and research is ongoing into any applications this may have for human medicine . 
