Gravimetric and Spectrophotometric Determinations of Curcuminoid Solubilities in Ethanol

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Curcumin, a natural extract of turmeric, has many purported health benefits, but a part of its limited broader applicability is frequently attributed its poor solubility in water. This lack of solubility is one of the primary drives for the exploration and synthesis of new analogues, seeking more greater aqueous solubility. Bioactivity assays frequently make use of ethanol solutions of these curcuminoids, followed by subsequent dilution in water. We have explored the solubility of an array of curcuminoids in ethanol to ascertain substituent effects on this property. Additionally, a few curcuminoids containing a saturated ring in their backbone have tested to determine its impact on solubility. Both gravimetric and spectrophotometric means have been utilized to measure solubility. Beer's Law plots of all local maxima in the UV-vis spectra of each curcuminoid have been produced to track linearity of the Absorbance-concentration relationship at each wavelength and correlation of each with gravimetrically determined solubilities.