RETRACTED ARTICLE: Synergistic Nanocomposites of Different Antibiotics Coupled with Green Synthesized Chitosan-Based Silver Nanoparticles: Characterization, Antibacterial, in vivo Toxicological and Biodistribution Studies

Abstract

Asghar MA, Yousuf RI, Shoaib MH, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2020;15:7841–7859.

The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding alleged image duplication and manipulation in Figure 8 and Figure 9. Specifically:

• Figure 8 panel Control, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Heart which has been flipped.

• Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml which has been rotated.

• Figure 8 panel Control, Kidney appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney which has been zoomed and rotated.

• Figure 8 panel Control, Liver appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Liver and CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, both of which have been frame-shifted or zoomed out.

• Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Liver appears to have been duplicated with Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, Liver which has been altered.

• Figure 9 panel Control, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml which has been altered.

• Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml which has been rotated. The same images also appear to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Heart and CS-AgNPs 60µg/ml, Heart.

• Figure 9 panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml appears to have been duplicated with panel CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney which has been rotated. The same images also appear to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel Control, Kidney and CS-AgNPs 90 µg/ml, Kidney.

• Figure 9 panel Control, Liver appears to have been duplicated with Figure 8 panel Control, Liver, panel CS-AgNPs 30 µg/ml, Liver and CS-AgNPs 60 µg/ml, Liver.

The authors responded to our queries and provided original data relating to the images presented in Figures 8 and 9, however, the data provided was not satisfactory. The Editor determined the findings of the study were invalid and requested for the article to be retracted.

Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.

Keywords:

• chitosan functionalized silver nanoparticles
• antibiotic resistance
• synergistic antibacterial activity
• in vivo toxicity
• tissue distribution

View retraction statement:

Synergistic Nanocomposites of Different Antibiotics Coupled with Green Synthesized Chitosan-Based Silver Nanoparticles: Characterization, Antibacterial, in vivo Toxicological and Biodistribution Studies [Retraction]