We prepared a series of alginate and Pluronic-based solutions as the in situ gelling vehicles for ophthalmic delivery of pilocarpine. The rheological properties, in vitro release as well as in vivo pharmacological response of polymer solutions, including alginate, Pluronic solution, and alginate/Pluronic solution, were evaluated. The optimum concentration of alginate solution for the in situ gel-forming delivery systems was 2% (w/w) and that for Pluronic solution was 14% (w/w). The mixture of 0.1% alginate and 14% Pluronic solutions showed a significant increase in gel strength in the physiological condition; this gel mixture was also found to be free flowing at pH 4.0 and 25 degrees C. Both in vitro release and in vivo pharmacological studies indicated that the alginate/Pluronic solution retained pilocarpine better than the alginate or Pluronic solutions alone. The results demonstrated that the alginate/Pluronic mixture can be used as an in situ gelling vehicle to increase ocular bioavailability.