Solubilization of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid by cosolvency

Solubilities of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in aqueous surfactant solutions, liquid polyethylene glycols (PEG), and solvents of various polarity were measured. The results showed that the solutes were slightly or moderately solubilized in the surfactant solutions and the liquid PEGs. It was also revealed that the solutes were slightly soluble in the solvent of either extreme polarity or nonpolarity, but moderately soluble in solvents of intermediate polarity of which solubility parameters are around 10. The solubility parameters of these solutes were calculated from the group contribution to be 10.2 for both of them. Of the solvents tested, tetramethylurea was exceptionally effective in solubilizing the solutes. The solutes were also moderately soluble in the aqueous cosolvents containing tetramelhylurea. This suggests that the mixed systems of tetramethylurea could be employed for the solubilization in the formulation of these compounds as an aqueous system.