Naviglio's Principle and Presentation of an Innovative Solid–Liquid Extraction Technology: Extractor Naviglio®

Abstract

In this article, starting from a new solid–liquid extractive principle an innovative solid–liquid extractor is showed. Extractor Naviglio® works at room temperature and it does not need to heat the extractive system; this fact is important in the field of officinal plants and in many other cases when the objective of the extraction are the active principles or compounds sensible to the temperature. Experimental trials have demonstrated that two hours are sufficient to extract the more common plants like wild camomile, calendula, peppermint, tea, etc.; while more time for complete extraction of roots or cortex is requested. Extractor Naviglio® changes the philosophy of solid–liquid extraction because it does not work on diffusion and osmosis principle like the major part of actual solid–liquid extraction techniques but it works on a new extractive principle: Naviglio's Principle, based on generating of a gradient pressure between the inner and the outlet of solid matrix.

Keywords:

• Extractor Naviglio
• Solid–liquid extraction
• Soxhlet
• Maceration
• Solid matrix
• Officinal plants

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Vittoria Granillo, Salvatore Saggiomo, and Carlo Raia of the Nuova Estrazione S.a.s. of Naples for the precious collaboration furnished in the layout, in the carrying out and in the organization of the present research.