Amies Transport Medium with Charcoal – CAT No: AS‑1107
 
Overview
Amies Transport Medium with Charcoal is a semi‑solid, non‑nutritive medium designed for the preservation and transport of clinical specimens containing fastidious and fragile bacteria. The addition of pharmaceutical‑grade charcoal adsorbs fatty acids and toxic metabolites that may accumulate during transport, thereby enhancing the survival of delicate organisms such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and anaerobic bacteria.
Scientific studies and international standards (CLSI M40‑A2, ISO 11133) confirm that Amies with charcoal maintains viability for up to 48 hours, making it the preferred transport medium in clinical microbiology laboratories worldwide.
 
Applications
Collection and transport of swabs for bacterial culture (aerobic, facultative, and fastidious organisms)
Recommended for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus spp. recovery
Transport of wound, vaginal, cervical, urethral, eye, and nasopharyngeal specimens
Standardized medium for compliance with CLSI and ISO protocols
 
Key Features
Charcoal neutralization: Adsorbs inhibitory substances and fatty acids, improving pathogen recovery
Redox balance: Sodium thioglycollate maintains reduced conditions for anaerobes
Structural protection: Calcium and magnesium ions stabilize bacterial cell surfaces
Semi‑solid consistency: Prevents desiccation and overgrowth during transport delays
 
Composition (per liter)
Sodium Chloride (NaCl) – 3.0 g
Potassium Chloride (KCl) – 0.2 g
Calcium Chloride (CaCl₂) – 0.1 g
Magnesium Chloride (MgCl₂·6H₂O) – 0.1 g
Monopotassium Phosphate (KH₂PO₄) – 0.2 g
Disodium Phosphate (Na₂HPO₄) – 1.15 g
Sodium Thioglycollate – 1.0 g
Charcoal (pharmaceutical grade) – 10.0 g
Agar – 4.0–6.0 g
Final pH: 7.2 ± 0.2 at 25 °C
 
Preparation
Suspend 20.85–22.85 g dehydrated base in 1 L purified water.
Heat with agitation; boil for 1 minute to dissolve. Do not overheat.
Dispense into tubes while hot.
Autoclave at 121 °C for 15 minutes.
Cool to 45–50 °C, mix thoroughly to resuspend charcoal, and dispense aseptically into sterile tubes with swabs.
Allow to solidify upright.
 
Storage & Stability
Store prepared tubes at 2–25 °C (preferably 4–8 °C), protected from light
Shelf life: 6–12 months under proper storage
Discard if medium becomes dry, cracked, or contaminated
 
Holding times before plating (CLSI M40‑A2):
Neisseria gonorrhoeae: ≤24 h at room temperature
Most other pathogens: ≤48 h at room temperature or 4 °C
 
For laboratory and research use only. Not for direct diagnostic use without proper validation.