Brain Heart Infusion Agar (BHI Agar) is a highly nutritious general-purpose medium used for the isolation and cultivation of a wide variety of fastidious microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Due to its exceptionally rich formulation, it is a standard choice for clinical diagnostics, research, and pharmaceutical testing where the recovery of demanding pathogens is essential.
BHI Agar derives its superior nutritional profile from the infusion of Calf Brains and Beef Heart, combined with Proteose Peptone. These components provide a complex array of nitrogen, vitamins, amino acids, and carbon sources. Glucose serves as the primary fermentable carbohydrate, offering an immediate energy source for rapid growth. Sodium Chloride maintains the osmotic equilibrium, and Disodium Phosphate acts as a buffer to stabilize the pH. Bacteriological Agar is the solidifying agent. The medium is particularly effective for the growth of Streptococci, Pneumococci, and Meningococci. For mycological applications, it is often used for the cultivation of pathogenic fungi, especially the dimorphic species.
Advantages
- Maximum Nutrient Bioavailability: The infusion-based formula provides growth factors that are not present in standard peptone-based media.
- Versatile Base: Can be easily supplemented with 5-10% sheep blood for the observation of hemolytic reactions or with antibiotics for the selective isolation of fungi.
- Fastidious Pathogen Recovery: Excellent for the recovery of Haemophilus and Neisseria species when properly supplemented.
- Rich Biomass Production: Ideal for maintaining stock cultures or preparing large amounts of inoculum for further testing.
- Reliable Quality: Consistent performance across clinical and industrial laboratories for both aerobic and anaerobic cultivation (when incubated in appropriate atmospheres).
Instructions for use
Suspend 52.0 g of the powder in 1 liter of distilled or deionized water. Mix thoroughly and heat with frequent agitation; boil for one minute to ensure complete dissolution. Preparation: Sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 minutes. Note: For the cultivation of fungi or fastidious bacteria, the medium can be enriched with blood or specific supplements after cooling to 45–50 °C. Inoculate the sample and incubate at 35 ± 2 °C for 18–48 hours. For fungal cultures, incubate at 25–30 °C for up to 7 days or more.
Technical specifications
| Catalogue number | 1048 |
| Brand | Condalab |
| Application | General-purpose cultivation of fastidious microorganisms |
| Typical Composition (g/L) | Brain Heart Infusion (from solids) (6.0); Beef Heart Infusion (from solids) (6.0); Proteose Peptone (10.0); Glucose (2.0); Sodium Chloride (5.0); Disodium Phosphate (2.5); Bacteriological Agar (15.0) |
| Final pH (at 25 °C) | 7.4 ± 0.2 |
| Preparation | 52.0 g/L |
| Storage Temperature | 2 – 25 °C |
Available packaging options
| 1048 | 500 g plastic bottle |
| Brand | Condalab |
| Pack size | 500 g |
