Selected quaternary ammonium salts of pilocarpine useful in reducing intraocular pressure in warm-blooded animals

A method for reducing intracular pressure in a warm-blooded animal in need of said response which comprises topically administering to the ophthalmic membrane thereof, an effective amount of a compound having the formula:

• ##STR25## wherein R represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 open chain or cyclo alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxyalkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkanoyloxyalkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 haloalkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 carboxyalkyl group, a phenyl group, a naphthyl group and a substituted phenyl or naphthyl group whose substituents are selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, an O-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, an O-C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkanoyl group, a nitro group, a carboxyl group, and a carboethoxy group;
• wherein R.sub.1 represents a C.sub.9 -C.sub.22 straight or branched alkyl group, ##STR26## group, wherein R.sub.3, R.sub.4,R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are each selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group, and wherein R.sub.1 further represents a member selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.0 -O.sub.22 straight or branched ##STR27## group, wherein n in each occurrence and m represent an integer of from 0 to 22, and an ##STR28## group, wherein A represents a -(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.p group, wherein the p represents an integer of from 0 to 22 and a cholic acid residue;
• and wherein X represents a member selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a methanesulfonate group, a fluorosulfonate group and a tosylate group.