Dissolving Oleanolic Acid 1%

Based on the product information for Pure-Oleanolic™ (Oleanolic Acid 98%), it is a powder that should be dissolved in a suitable solvent and then mixed into the oil portion of the formula. The description specifically mentions solubility in laurocapram.

Your attempt to dissolve 1g of Oleanolic acid in 7g of a mixture of Ethoxydiglycol and Butylene Glycol resulted in a paste, indicating that this amount and mixture of glycols are not sufficient to dissolve 1g of Oleanolic acid at that high concentration (approximately 12.5% in the solvent blend). While Ethoxydiglycol and Butylene Glycol are solvents, they may not be the most effective solvents for Oleanolic acid compared to others like laurocapram, or incorporating it into an oil phase.

To answer your questions:

1. Does it need to be dissolved in the glycol phase first? How much glycol is needed?

   • It is generally recommended to dissolve Oleanolic acid in a suitable solvent phase before adding it to the main formula. However, the product description suggests dissolving it in a solvent like laurocapram and then mixing it into the oil portion of the formula, not necessarily the glycol phase.
   • Your experiment shows that 7g of your glycol mixture is not enough to dissolve 1g of Oleanolic acid. The exact amount of Ethoxydiglycol or Butylene Glycol needed to dissolve 1g is not specified in the product information, and it might require a very large amount, or these glycols might not be the ideal solvents for achieving a clear solution at higher concentrations.

2. Can you dissolve glycol in water first, then add Oleanolic acid?

   • Based on the product description recommending mixing the dissolved Oleanolic acid into the oil portion of the formula, it is unlikely that dissolving glycols in water first and then adding Oleanolic acid will work. Oleanolic acid appears to require a less polar solvent or incorporation into an oil phase for proper dissolution.

Recommendation:

For dissolving Pure-Oleanolic™ (Oleanolic Acid 98%), follow the recommended method: dissolve it in a suitable solvent like laurocapram (as mentioned in the product description) or incorporate it into the oil phase of your formulation. This approach is more likely to achieve proper dissolution compared to using glycols alone, especially in high concentrations relative to the solvent amount.