RETRACTED ARTICLE: Improvement of oral efficacy of Irinotecan through biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles through in vitro and in vivo investigations
Authors: Md Aftab Alam
Niyaz Ahmad
Rizwan Ahmad
Sadiq Umar
Farhan Jalees Ahmad
Journal: Journal of Microencapsulation (2018)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: CS-PLGA-NPs; Irinotecan; cellular uptake and cellular transport with intestinal transport; oral bioavailability; oral drug delivery
Affiliations: a Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Clinical Pharmacy , Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University , Dammam , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., b Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Medical and Allied Sciences , Galgotias University , Greater Noida , India., c Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine College of Clinical Pharmacy , Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University , Dammam , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., d Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago , IL , USA., e Nanomedicine Lab, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research , Jamia Hamdard , New Delhi , India.

Abstract:  Background: Irinotecan (IRN) (CPT-11) is a camptothecin derivative with low oral bioavailability due to active efflux by intestinal P-glycoprotein (p-gp) receptors. Hence, no oral formulation is marketed for IRN till date and its oral ingestion continues to remain a challenge. Aim of study: The study aims to develop a nanoformulation i.e. Chitosan (CS)-coated-IRN-loaded-poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) (CS-IRN-PLGA-NPs)in order to enhance oral bioavailability of IRN. Results: Developed formulation revealed particle size, 166.9 ± 13.63 nm, zeta potential, 14.67 ± 1.08 mV and drug content (42.69 ± 1.97 µg/mg), with spherical shape and smooth surface. Cytotoxicity studies, performed against human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines (MCF-7), confirmed the superiority of IRN-CS-PLGA-NPs over free IRN solution (IRN-S). Cellular transport conducted on human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2) exhibited a higher permeability of 1.33 folds for IRN through CS-IRN-PLGA-NPs as compared to IRN-S (p &lt; 0.01) whereas the permeability for IRN was found to be higher at a rate of 4.32 folds, across rat ileum. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated marked improvement of 3.53 fold and 8.03 fold in Wistar rat's plasma as well as brain higher oral bioavailability through IRN-CS-PLGA-NPs when compared with IRN-S. A simple, rapid UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS method for the determination of IRN (CPT-11) and SN-38 in both plasma and brain (over a range: 1.00-25000.00 ng/ml) was also developed and successfully applied for pharmacokinetic study. Discussion: CS-IRN-PLGA-NPs approach may be effectively utilised, to replace pre-existing intravenous therapy thus providing 'patient care at home. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 A section of Figure 2(d) also appears in: Figure 7(a) of Warsi et al (2012), UPLC Q-TOF-MS MS METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF MOXIFLOXACIN LOADED NANOPLEXES AS VEHICLES FOR OCULAR DRUG DELIVERY, Journal of Liquid Chromatography Related Technologies, http: doi.org 10.1080 10826076.2011.627604 ![file] , 
 #1 Compare 2(D) *[right]* with *[at left]* Figure 2B from [Ahmad et al (2018)] .  Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) ... (B) images of DTX-loaded-CS-coated-PLGA-NPs. ![] , 
 Retracted [6 January 2021] . ------------------------------------------------ We, the Editors and Publishers of the Journal of Microencapsulation have retracted the following article: Niyaz Ahmad, Md Aftab Alam, Rizwan Ahmad, Sadiq Umar Farhan Jalees Ahmad (2018) Improvement of oral efficacy of Irinotecan through biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles through in vitro and in vivo investigations, Journal of Microencapsulation, 35:4, 327u2013343, DOI: 10.1080 02652048.2018.1485755 This article has been retracted and there are 2 comments on PubPeer (by: Diploon Cuspidatum, Hoya Camphorifolia) This article is retracted due to reuse of images from other articles by the same authors, representing results of different experiments. This includes a subsection of Figure 2(D), which is presented as Figure 7(a) in the following article: Warsi et al (2012), UPLC Q-TOF-MS MS METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF MOXIFLOXACIN LOADED NANOPLEXES AS VEHICLES FOR OCULAR DRUG DELIVERY, Journal of Liquid Chromatography Related Technologies, DOI: 10.1080 10826076.2011.627604 The authors were neither able to provide the original image nor a satisfactory explanation for the redundant image that would support the integrity of their research. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u201cRetractedu201d. ,