plexus, after fasting the animal for 12 h, using a heparinized
capillary, into microcentrifuge tube rinsed with heparin solution,
and spun at 1,100 × g for 10 min at 4 °C. The plasma was
analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and TAG
using Autopak kits based on enzymatic oxidation of these
molecules. At the end of the experimental period, the animals
were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and liver was removed
for cholesterol and TAG estimation.
Statistical analysis All results are expressed as mean ± SE.
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) (MedCalc statistical
software version 10.4.0) was used to test for differences
in body weight change. The initial body weight of the
animals was used as the covariate to control for preexisting
differences. Homogeneity of regression assumptions
were tested and met in the analysis. The mean values,
adjusted for pretreatment difference, for the three experimental
groups were further compared using the Bonferroni
procedure. All other comparisons were made with the SAS
general linear model procedure (SAS institute, Cary, NC).
The differences were inspected again by Duncan’s multiple
range test. The critical level of statistical significance for all
tests was P