Cardiotoxins isolated from Naja nigricollis venom
inhibit platelet aggregation when studied using
electrical impedance measurements. We showed that this
observed activity is a direct reflection of the
cytolytic activity of these proteins. When the cytolytic
activity is neutralized by chemical modification of
lysine residues, the antiplatelet activity was also
lost. Thus cytolytic effects lead to apparent inhibition
of platelet aggregation.