Preparation of a novel curcumin nanoemulsion by ultrasonication and its comparative effects in wound healing and the treatment of inflammation
Authors: Ibrahim Zuhair Fita
Mohammed Saifuddin Khalid
Niyaz Ahmad
Ali Al-Qudaihi
Salman Edrees Alaseel
Rizwan Ahmad
Faheem Hyder Pottoo
Journal: RSC Advances (2019)
Discipline: CHEMISTRY
Keywords: Curcumin; nanoemulsion; transdermal drug delivery; wound healing; anti-inflammatory action
Affiliations: Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-31441, Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Department of Pharmacology

Abstract:  The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a curcumin (Cur) nanoemulsion (NE) and enhance transdermal drug delivery. The comparative effects of Cur-NE were evaluated in terms of wound healing and anti-inflammatory action. Clove oil (oil), Tween-80 (surfactant), and PEG-400 (co-surfactant) were selected on the basis of their solubility and maximum nanoemulsion region. An aqueous micro-titration method with high-energy ultrasonication was used for the preparation of Cur-NE. This method was optimized to find the best NE, followed by a five-factor, three-level, central composite design. % oil, % S mix, ultrasonication time (min), ultrasonication intensity (%), and temperature (°C) were selected and optimized as independent variables. The optimized NE had parameters of 5.0% oil, 10% S mix, ultrasonication time (10 min), 40% ultrasonication intensity and 50 °C temperature, which were applied as independent and dependent variables. On the basis of experimental data of the dependent variables, we calculated a hydrodynamic diameter of 93.64 ± 6.48 nm, transmittance of 98.64 ± 0.37%, and PDI of 0.263 ± 0.021. TEM and SEM results revealed the smooth and spherical shape of the particles in the NE, with a zeta potential of -11.67 ± 0.11, refractive index of 1.71 ± 0.034, viscosity of 37 ± 7 cp, pH of 7.4 ± 0.07, and drug content of 98.11 ± 0.16% for the optimized Cur-NE. Cur-NE optimization with clove oil, Tween-80, and PEG-400 might be useful for enhancing the skin permeation of Cur. In conclusion, Cur-NE played a significant role in wound healing and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects, demonstrating its potential as a nanoformulation for safe and nontoxic transdermal delivery. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 The Elsevier paper:  **The Spallation Neutron Source in Oak Ridge: A powerful tool for materials research**  Thom .E.Mason et al. [21 authors; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Tennessee, University of Illinois at Chicago]  Physica B: Condensed Matter, Vol 385u2013386, Part 2, 15 Nov 2006, pp 955-960.  https: www.sciencedirect.com science article abs pii S092145260601177X ![file] copied approximately 40% of the earlier u00a9 2005 American Institute of Physics paper:  **The Spallation Neutron Source: A Powerful Tool for Materials Research**  https: doi.org 10.1063 1.1949491 ![file] ![file] The Elsevier version did not cite the AIP source, did not enclose copied passages in quotation marks, and did not indicate permission of the copyright holder. The Elsevier version replaced author S. Miller with ten other authors. The work was funded by the US Department of Energy. Elsevier explains that: Plagiarism is understood to be an intentional act. It is possible that an author could quote or copy parts of another article without attribution, unintentionally (perhaps the author intended to add the reference later but forgot), but generally this would not occur with whole articles or substantial portions of another article (as it would be difficult for this to be a  mistake ).  https: www.elsevier.com editors perk questions-and-answers According to Elsevier s *Plagiarism* Factsheet and *Simultaneous submission* Factsheet: Reproducing a work word for word, in whole or in part, without permission and acknowledgment of the original source.  Is it unethical? **Yes.** Literal copying is only acceptable if you reference the source and put quotation marks around the copied text.   When an author writes about his or her own research in two or more articles from different angles or on different aspects of the research without acknowledgment of the original paper.  Is it unethical? **Yes.** Creating several publications from the same research, is considered manipulative.  https: www.elsevier.com __data assets pdf_file 0008 653885 Ethics-in-research-and-publication-brochure.pdf Examples are shown below, with the 2005 AIP version on the left: ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ,