Rapid solubility determination of the triterpenes oleanolic acid and ursolic acid by UV-spectroscopy in different solvents

Salvia triloba (Greek sage) has been used for the treatment of various diseases and contains two bioactive triterpene acids of major interest: oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA). The determination of the solubility of OA and UA in different solvents is a prerequisite to select the optimal solvent. The main goal of this work was to develop a quick method of predicting the solubility of OA/UA in different solvents to get a first indication of which solvents could be considered suitable for extraction from any plant material containing at least one of these triterpenes. A novel and simple ultra-violet spectroscopy method was developed for this purpose.The best solubilities were determined in THF, dioxane and n-butanol as well as in blends of dioxane and n-butanol.