Exp Ther Med 17: [Related article:] 3525-3529, 2019; DOI:
10.3892/etm.2019.7380
Following the publication of the above paper, a
concerned reader drew to the Editor’s attention that, in Fig. 6,
the data panels shown for the experiments performed with 7.5, 15
and 30 μM bergenin were strikingly similar in terms of their
overall appearance. Furthermore, several figures contained data
that bore striking similarities to data published in other papers;
notably, the cellular data shown in Fig. 3 appeared to have been
presented with a different field of view in Fig. 2 of another paper
written by different authors and based at a different research
institution [Zeng C, Guo B, Chen J and He W: Antitumor effects of
chrysophanol in malignant optic nerve meningioma cell lines are
mediated via caspase activation, induction of mitochondrial
mediated apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and
targeting the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.
Pharmacology 104: 28-35, 2019].
After having conducted an independent investigation
in the Editorial Office, the Editor of Experimental and
Therapeutic Medicine has determined that this article should be
retracted from the Journal on account of a lack of confidence
concerning the originality and the authenticity of the data. The
authors were asked for an explanation to account for these
concerns, but the Editorial Office never received any reply. The
Editor regrets any inconvenience that has been caused to the
readership of the Journal.
