MIC and MBC/MFC Testing
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentration (MBC/MFC) testing are essential assays used to determine the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents against microorganisms.
MIC is the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that visibly inhibits the growth of a microorganism.
MBC/MFC is the lowest concentration of the same agent required to kill (bactericidal) or eliminate (fungicidal) the microorganism.
Together, these tests provide critical data for evaluating antimicrobial potency, guiding dosage decisions, and supporting the development of new antibiotics, antifungals, disinfectants, and natural bioactives. They are widely applied in pharmaceutical, clinical, and industrial research to assess the efficacy and safety of antimicrobial compounds.
Procedure
Products are serially diluted 1:2 in broth (usually MHB) up to 1:32,768, then mixed with a standardized microbial suspension and incubated for 18–24 hours to determine the MIC—the lowest concentration that visibly inhibits growth. For MBC, samples from the MIC and preceding dilutions are plated and incubated to identify the lowest concentration yielding no colony growth.
Application
- Antibiotic development and resistance profiling
- Comparison of generics vs. reference drugs
- Preservative efficacy validation
Reference
The test is performed in accordance with USP/FDA