The Chinese cobra is a highly venomous member of the true cobras (genus "Naja"). Its venom consists mainly of postsynaptic neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. Four cardiotoxin-analogues I, II, III, and IV, account for about 54% of the dry weight of the crude venom and have cytotoxic properties. The LD values of its venom in mice are 0.29 mg/kg IV, and a range of 0.53 mg/kg - 0.67 mg/kg SC. The average venom yield from a snake of this species kept at a snake farm was about 250.8 mg (80 mg dry weight). Although this is not a spitting cobra, some rare individuals (mostly specimens from Guizhou Province) are capable of ejecting venom towards a threat within a distance of .