RESUMO Devido ao aquecimento global, em Seul na Coreia do Sul, é plausível plantar árvores de folhagem perenes no inverno frio, oferecendo opções para criar um ambiente verde. Assim, é válido investigar quais tipos de plantas de folhagem perene poderiam sobreviver em Seul durante o inverno. Neste estudo, escolheu-se a hera-inglesa (Hedera helix), planta nativa da Europa utilizada como ornamental. Ela cresce em condições de temperaturas moderadas. Neste trabalho, investigou-se H. helix, uma planta de cobertura perene ao longo do inverno, a fim de avaliar a possibilidade de utilizar esta espécie em Seul. Descobriu-se que H. helix pode sobreviver durante o inverno em Seul. Isso significa que ela pode ser utilizada para criar um ambiente perene em Seul. Isto também implica que similares tipos de plantas poderiam ser testados assumindo que o ambiente em Seul está se tornando mais adequado para as plantas originadas de lugares quentes. Isto nos proverá maiores opções para elaborar ambientes ao ar livre na cidade que não é tão arborizada.

ABSTRACT Due to the global warming, Seoul in Korea seems to be plausible to grow evergreen broad-leaved trees over the cold winter. This offers the planting options to create green environment. Thus, it became worth investigating what kinds of evergreen broad-leaved plants could stand in Seoul during the winter. Ivy (Hedera helix) has been chosen in the current study which is a well-known native and ornamental plant in Europe. It grows in warm condition in general. The current study tracked H. helix which is evergreen cover plant over winter in order to evaluate the possibility for utilizing this species as a climber or cover-plant in Seoul. We found that H. helix can survive over the winter and can be utilized to create evergreen environment in Seoul. It also implies that similar kinds of plants could be tested assuming the environment of Seoul is becoming more suitable for the plants originated from the warmer sites. H. helix is an option for elaborating outdoor environments in the city that lacks of green color.

Abstract Gac, Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng., Cucurbitaceae, is an indigenous South Asian edible fruit and has been used therapeutically in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Previous studies have shown that M. cochinchinensis seed (Momordicae Semen) has various pharmaceutical properties such as antioxidant and anti-ulcer effects as well as contains secondary metabolites with potential anticancer activities such as triterpenoids and saponins. However, its biological activities in cancer have not yet been investigated. In this study, we found that its ethanol extract reduced cell proliferation in four human lung cancer cell lines, A549, H1264, H1299 and Calu-6. Phytochemical investigation of the ethanol extract was carried out, and resulted in isolation of two major saponins, which were identified as gypsogenin 3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl(1 → 2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranoside (1) and quillaic acid 3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl(1 → 2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranoside (2). Treatment with these isolated compounds (1 and 2) decreased cel1 proliferation in all human lung cancer cell lines tested. In addition, the compounds attenuated primary lung endothelial cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggest M. cochinchinensis seeds have antiproliferative activity on human lung cancer cells as well as angiostatic effect on lung endothelial cells.