Thirty-six albino CD1 mice (male, 6 weeks old, weighing 18–
20 g), obtained from Helwan Breeding Farm, Ministry of
Health, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt, were kept in well-maintained
animal facilities at Biotechnology Research Laboratory, Gastroenterology
Surgery Centre, Mansoura University, with
proper food and water ad libitum throughout the experiment.
The room was maintained on a 12 h light–dark schedule at a
temperature of 25 ± 2 C and a relative humidity of 58.41–
72.18%. The experiments were performed in accordance with
the guidelines for the use of laboratory animals established
by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources Commission
of Life Sciences (1996).