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RETRACTED ARTICLE: Optimized Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Integrated into In Situ Nasal Gel for Enhancing Brain Delivery of Flibanserin

Authors Fahmy UA, Ahmed OAA , Badr-Eldin SM, Aldawsari HM , Okbazghi SZ, Awan ZA , Bakhrebah MA, Alomary MN , Abdulaal WH, Medina C, Alhakamy NA 

Received 25 April 2020

Accepted for publication 4 July 2020

Published 24 July 2020 Volume 2020:15 Pages 5253—5264

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S258791

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3

Editor who approved publication: Professor Thomas Webster



This paper has been retracted.

Fahmy UA, Ahmed OAA, Badr-Eldin SM, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2020;15:5253-5264.

The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine are retracting the above published article. An investigation by the Publisher, found overlap in images from Figure 6 of the published article above and the images from Figure 6 of the following published article:

  • Ahmed OAA, Fahmy UA, Badr-Eldin SM, et al. Application of Nanopharmaceutics for Flibanserin Brain Delivery Augmentation Via the Nasal Route. Nanomaterials. 2020; 10(7):1270 (https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10071270).

Specifically, this included:

  • From the published article above, Figure 6B, plain in situ gel group, and 6D, optimized FLB-NLC in situ gel group, are the same images as Figure 6D, rats treated with optimized FLB-TRF hydrogel (gp4) and 6C, rats treated with raw FLB loaded in hydrogel (gp3), respectively, from Ahmed et al, 2020.

Furthermore, the images in Figure 6 of the published article above are derived from the same image but used to describe different results.

Specifically, this included:

  • From the published article above, Figure 6A, Control untreated group; 6B, plain in situ gel group; 6C, raw FLB loaded in situ gel group and 6D, optimized FLB-NLC in situ gel group, are all derived from the same image but used to describe different results.

The authors cooperated with the investigation and provided data and associated documents concerning the histopathological experiments from the reported study. However, the Editor and Publisher determined that the evidence provided did not establish sufficient justification for the duplication. Therefore, the Editor and Publisher are retracting the article. The authors have agreed to retract the article and have informed the Publisher that the first author, Usama A Fahmy, takes responsibility for the error which occurred.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines.

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

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