A new group of 5-(alkylamino)-9-isopropyl[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,8]naphthyridine derivatives bearing a CONHR group at the 6-position (1c-g), designed to obtain new effective analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory agents, were synthesized and tested along with three new 9-alkyl-5-(4-alkyl-1-piperazinyl)-N,N-diethyl [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,8]naphthyridine-6-carboxamides (2b-d). Besides, a new class of analogues of compounds 1 and 2, bearing a Mannich base moiety at the 9-position (12a-d), as well as the novel N,N-diethyl-5-(isobutylamino)-8-methyl-10-oxo-10H-pyrimido[1,2-a][1,8]naphthyridine-6-carboxamide (15) were prepared and tested. Compounds 1c-g exhibited very interesting anti-inflammatory properties in rats, whereas compounds 2b-d and 15 proved to be endowed with prevalent analgesic activity frequently associated with sedative effects in mice. On the contrary, the Mannich bases 12a-d resulted inactive. The most effective (80% inhibition of oedema) and potent (threshold dose 1.6 mg kg(-1) with 31% inhibition of oedema) anti-inflammatory compound 1d did not show gastrolesive effects following 100 mg kg(-1) oral administration in rats.