Collection and processing of blood samples
Blood samples were collected aseptically from jugular vein of each animal using heparinized vacutainer tube (Becton Dickinson India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India). Immediately after collection, tubes were placed in freeze (4C) and analyzed subsequently. Plasma was harvested subsequently by centrifuging the whole blood samples at 840 g for 15 min in a portable centrifuge machine (HERMLE Labortechnik GmbH, Germany). The heparinized plasma samples were stored at -20C in storage vials and analyzed subsequently.