Abstract:The radioprotective effects and molecular mechanisms of black tomato powder (BTP) in mice were investigated in this study. ICR mice irradiated by 5Gy 60Coγ were treated with BTP (1.5,3.0, and 4.5g/kg body weight). After 14 days' treatment, thymus and spleen indices, white blood cells' number (WBC), bone marrow cells' number, spleen lymphocytes, cytokine levels, NF-κB, and I-κB were investigated. The results revealed that the thymus index was significantly(P<0.05)higher in mice treated by 4.5g/kg BTP while mice in the 3.0 g/kg BTP treatment group had the significantly(P<0.05)higher bone marrow cells' number compared with the irradiation (IR) control group. Compared with the IR control group, the spleen lymphocytes in the 1.5g/kg BTP treatment group were significantly(P<0.01)different. The 4.5g/kg BTP treatment also inhibited the increasing of IL-1α和IL-10. Moreover, the 3.0g/kg and 4.5g/kg BTP treatment decreased the hepatic MDA contents and increased the hepatic GSH-Px and SOD contents. Meanwhile, the 4.5g/kg BTP treatment could also increase the serum SOD content. The radioprotective effects of BTP might be due to the modulation of the expression of NF-κB and I-κB, which could further modulate the proinflammatory cytokines release and immune responses.