We performed this study to determine the effect of green tea on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells of mice irradiated with high and low dose of gammairradiation. The radioprotective effect of green tea was compared with the effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC). Jejunal crypts were protected by pretreatment of green tea (p<0.01). Green tea administration before irradiation resulted in an increase of the formation of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.05). The frequency of radiation-induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells was also reduced by pretreatment of green tea (p<0.05). The radioprotective effect on jejunal crypts and apoptosis in the DDC treated group appeared similar to those in the green tea treated groups. Treatment with DDC showed no significant modifying effects on the formation of endogenous spleen colony. These results indicated that green tea might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product. Further studies are needed to characterize better the promotion nature of green tea and its components.