[Radiation-protective effectiveness of lycopene]

Radioprotective action of natural carotenoid Lycopene in mice during exposure to lethal dose of 6.5 Gy has been shown. Lycopene was found to be two-fold more effective radioprotector than beta-carotene at the same conditions. This correlates with the difference in their antioxidant activity. Lycopene also exhibits antimutagenic effect resulting in increased survival of Drosophila melanogaster chrysalis under exposure to 40 Gy gamma-radiation.