METHOD FOR OBTAINING AN EXTRACT RICH IN TRITERPENIC ACIDS FROM EUCALYPTUS BARKS

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of obtaining extracts having very high contents (up to 98 %) of triterpenic acids, mainly oleanolic and ursolic acids, from eucalyptus barks. The method involves the solid-liquid extraction of the bark with organic solvents, preferably hexane, and the fractionation of the crude extract by means of a simple treatment with an alkaline solution, followed by separation of the aqueous phase, its filtration, acidification and finally isolation of the enriched triterpenic acids fraction by means of filtration, centrifugation or extraction with an organic solvent, preferably hexane, followed by solvent removal. The present invention has application in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and functional foods industries.