Thioglycollate broth is a multi-purpose, enriched, differential medium used primarily to determine the oxygen requirements of microorganisms. Sodium thioglycolate in the medium consumes oxygen and permits the growth of obligate anaerobes. This, combined with the diffusion of oxygen from the top of the broth produces a range of oxygen concentrations in the media along its depth. The oxygen concentration at a given level is indicated by a redox sensitive dye like resazurine that turns pink in the presence of oxygen.
This allows the differentiation of obligate aerobes, obligate anaerobes, facultative anaerobes, microaerophiles, and aerotolerant organisms. For example, obligately anaerobic Clostridium species will be seen growing only in the bottom of the test tube.
Thioglycollate broth is also used to recruit macrophages to the peritoneal cavity of mice when injected intraperitoneally. It recruits numerous macrophages, but does not activate them. The thioglycollate-induced peritonitis in mice is used as a model to study for potential anti-inflammatory action of investigated test compounds.
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