RETRACTED ARTICLE: Novel green synthesis and antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticholinergics, and wound healing properties of cobalt nanoparticles containing Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves extract
Authors: Mohammad Mahdi Zangeneh
Nastaran Sadeghian
Akram Zangeneh
Huifang Hou
Sogand Paydarfard
Parham Taslimi
Vildan Erduran
Behnam Mahdavi
Fatih Sen
Journal: Scientific Reports (2020)
Discipline: Multidisciplinary
Keywords: Green synthesis; cobalt nanoparticles; Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam; cytotoxicity; antioxidant
Affiliations: School of Basic Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran. ., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran., Biotechnology and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. ., Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. ., Biotechnology and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran., Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ataturk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey., Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Bartin University, 74100, Bartin, Turkey., Sen Research Group, Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Arts and Science, Dumlupinar University, Evliya Celebi Campus, 43100, Kutahya, Turkey., Sen Research Group, Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Arts and Science, Dumlupinar University, Evliya Celebi Campus, 43100, Kutahya, Turkey. .

Abstract:  The aim of the experiment was a green synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles from the aqueous extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam (CoNPs) and assessment of their cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and cutaneous wound healing properties. The synthesized CoNPs were characterized using different techniques including UV-Vis., FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the XRD analysis, 28.19 nm was measured for the crystal size of NPs. TEM and SEM images exhibited a uniform spherical morphology and average diameters of 29.08 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. Agar diffusion tests were done to determine the antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were specified by macro-broth dilution assay. CoNPs indicated higher antibacterial and antifungal effects than many standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Also, CoNPs prevented the growth of all bacteria at 2-4 mg/mL concentrations and removed them at 2-8 mg/mL concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). In the case of antifungal effects of CoNPs, they inhibited the growth of all fungi at 1-4 mg/mL concentrations and destroyed them at 2-16 mg/mL concentrations (p ≤ 0.01). The synthesized CoNPs had great cell viability dose-dependently and indicated this method was nontoxic. DPPH free radical scavenging test was done to assess the antioxidant potentials, which revealed similar antioxidant potentials for CoNPs and butylated hydroxytoluene. In vivo experiment, after creating the cutaneous wound, the rats were randomly divided into six groups: untreated control, treatment with Eucerin basal ointment, treatment with 3% tetracycline ointment, treatment with 0.2% Co(NO3)2 ointment, treatment with 0.2% Z. clinopodioides ointment, and treatment with 0.2% CoNPs ointment. These groups were treated for 10 days. For histopathological and biochemical analysis of the healing trend, a 3 × 3 cm section was prepared from all dermal thicknesses at day 10. Use of CoNPs ointment in the treatment groups substantially raised (p ≤ 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and remarkably decreased (p ≤ 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte compared to other groups. In conclusion, CoNPs can be used as a medical supplement owing to their non-cytotoxic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing effects. Additionally, the novel nanoparticles (Co(NO3)2 and CoNPs) were good inhibitors of the α-glycosidase, and cholinesterase enzymes. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 1 shows an image of the plant used for this study, Ziziphora clinopodioides. ![file] It looks very similar to a photo on the Daves Garden website, found at: https: davesgarden.com guides pf showimage 386610 and uploaded by  Shirrush on Mar 20, 2015. ![file] Did the authors get permission to use this photo? , 
 Figure 2 of this 2020 paper (shown below on the left) looks very similar to Figure 1 from a 2015 paper (right) by a different research group, i.e. Elham Rouhollahi et al., Drug Design, Development and Therapy 2015, DOI: 10.2147 DDDT.S88196. Can the authors please clarify how a rat from Malaysia ended up in an animal facility in Iran? ![file] , 
 Several panels in Figure 9 from this paper (shown below on the left) looks very similar to panels in Figure 1 from a 2017 paper ((right) by some of the same authors, i.e. Ali Ghashghaii et al., Pharmaceutical Sciences (2017), DOI: 10.15171 PS.2017.38. Boxes of the same color were added to highlight the panels that look similar. They appear to show very different treatments between the two studies. ![file] , 
 Figure 10. * Purple boxes: Panels A (control) and B (basal ointment) appear to show an overlap * Teal boxes: Panels E (Z. clinopodioides ointment) annd F (CoNPs ointment) appear to show an overlap ![file] , 
 2020 retraction. https: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 32895457 , 
 In addition to image plagiarism, this paper has very high percentage of duplication of others. ![file] , 
  [Decision on handling misconduct cases investigated and handled in 2021 (second batch)](http: www.nsfc.gov.cn publish portal0 tab434 info81402.htm) [Google Translate] ------------------------------------------------------- Regarding the sale and purchase of papers and data for Hou Huifang and others Handling decisions on issues such as fraud and unauthorized bidding of other peopleu2019s fund project numbers The Supervision Committee of the National Natural Science Foundation of China published a paper  Huifang Hou, Behnam Mahdavi*, Sogand Paydarfard, Mohammad Mahdi Zangeneh*, Akram Zangeneh, Nastaran Sadeghian, Parham Taslimi, Vildan Erduran Fatih Sen*. Novel green synthesis on Hou Huifang, Xinxiang Medical College, etc. and antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticholinergics, and wound healing properties of cobalt nanoparticles containing Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves extract. Scientific Reports. 2020, 10, 12195.u201d (labeled with Fund No. 81200836) The organization for suspected academic misconduct conducted an investigation . Upon investigation, Hou Huifang, the first author of the thesis department, obtained the proceeds from the purchase and marked the project number of the National Natural Science Foundation of others without authorization. The paper also has the problem of data falsification. ,