Palmetto Synthetics

The commercial production of polyamide fibers began in the late 1930s in the United States and Europe. They are now produced worldwide. Nylon fiber producers in the United States in 2004 include Fiber Innovation Technology, Inc., Honeywell Nylon Inc., Invista Inc. (formerly DuPont Textiles Interiors), Nylstar, Inc., Palmetto Synthetics, Polyamide High Performance, Inc. (formerly Acordis), Solutia Inc., Unifi-Sans Technical Fibers, LLC, Universal Fiber Systems LLC, and Wellman, Inc. 

Mohawk Industries Nan Ya Plastics New Generation Yarn Palmetto Synthetics Performance Fibers Premiere Fibers Shakespeare Specialty Filaments Teijin Monofilament US Unifi... 

Herbal remedies hold a different place in medical practice in many European countries than in the United States. One of the most dramatic examples of the difference is in the treatment of benign prostate disease. This very common condition affects about 25 percent of men in their forties and nearly 80 percent of men who are over 70. In Germany, several hundred million dollars are spent annually on prostate remedies, with 80 percent of that spent on herbal medications. Herbal medications dominate the market for treating nonmalignant prostate disease. They have very few side effects and cost per dose approximately 20 to 35 percent of what synthetic drugs do. Treatment with herbal preparations typically costs under a dollar a day. Four of the most popular in Germany are extracts from the fruit of the saw palmetto, pumpkin seeds, rye pollen extract, and nettle root. 

A recent study by Bach, Schmitt, and Ebeling compared three prescriptive medications with a standardized saw palmetto extract. The drugs worked by two different mechanisms. Finasteride is a synthetic 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, and the other two drugs, terazosin and alfuzosin, are alpha-1 blockers. In all important parameters, the saw palmetto was a comparable treatment with far fewer side effects. It decreased residual urine volume, reduced irritation, and increased urinary flow 80 percent of patients rated their improved quality of life as good to very good. 

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