The purpose of this study was to evaluate pluronic F127 for the controlled release of cisplatin in a rabbit model. Pluronic F127 becomes liquid at temperatures < 25A degrees C and converts to a gelatinous state at temperatures between 25 and 60A degrees C. Six Japanese white rabbits were injected with pluronic + cisplatin (n = 3, renal group A) or saline + cisplatin (n = 3, renal group B) to measure the platinum concentration in kidneys. Another 25 rabbits with VX2 liver tumors were divided into five equal groups. They were injected with saline, saline + cisplatin, iodized oil + cisplatin, pluronic alone, or pluronic + cisplatin and labeled as liver groups A, B, C, D, and E, respectively. The antitumor effect of pluronic was then assessed. In the presence of pluronic, the platinum concentration in the kidneys of rabbits remained relatively high. In animals with liver tumors, the delivery of pluronic + cisplatin produced higher tumor reduction rates (P < 0.05) than in the other groups, without apparent damage to normal liver tissue. We conclude that pluronic is useful for the controlled release of cisplatin in a rabbit model.