Aerobic culture of anaerobic bacteria using antioxidants: a preliminary report.

Antioxidants have been shown to help the growth of anaerobic bacteria. We were able to grow six anaerobe species (including Fusobacterium necrophorum and Ruminococcus gravus) and seven aerobic species all aerobically in Schaedler agar tubes and agar plates with high doses of ascorbic acid and/or glutathione. This may deeply change strategies for culturing bacteria.