NPMC has a long experience in the development and investigation of extracts from the Greek and global biodiversity in terms of phytochemical content. We aim to the extraction, isolation, and structural identification of natural products from diverse natural sources with the aid of modern extraction and isolation techniques.
We develop specific protocols in laboratory and pilot scale for the extraction of plant material based on maceration, percolation, microwaves and ultrasounds, supercritical CO2, steam distillation and molecular distillation. Our range of infrastructure allow us to target diverse categories of natural products such as polyphenols, terpenoids, lipids, volatile compounds, alkaloids, etc.
NPMC is equipped with a range of chromatography platforms for the effective enrichment of extracts in target lead compounds, and the isolation of novel phytochemicals in high purity. We utilize technology based on partition chromatography (countercurrent partition extraction and chromatography - CPE and CPC), annular centrifugal extraction (ACE), adsorption resin and molecular exclusion resin chromatography, automated preparative medium pressure chromatography with UV/ELSD detection, preparative supercritical CO2 chromatography, and preparative high performance liquid chromatography with DAD detection. Our group collaborates regularly with top brands in preparative isolation (Buchi Switzerland, Kromaton, Separex).
Novel natural product leads are fully characterized with the aid of NMR (400 and 600 MHz equipped with autosampler), HRMS (qTOF and Orbitrap platforms), IR and UV spectroscopy, optical rotation (standalone polarimeter and coupled with HPLC for the detection and characterization of enantiomers).
