Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers loaded with curcumin or its beta-cyclodextrin (CD) inclusion complex were successfully prepared using an electrospinning process. The influence of curcumin or CD-curcumin complex content on fiber formation and quality was investigated. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analyses of the fibers, together with electron microscope evidence, demonstrated that curcumin is likely to be present as crystalline aggregates in the fibers, while its CD complex is more evenly distributed. H-1 NMR analysis indicated that the chemical structure of curcumin was preserved during the electrospinning process. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that inclusion into nanofibers enhanced the thermal stability of curcumin. In vitro dissolution tests showed that the drug release profiles of the PVA/curcumin and PVA/complex fibers were different, with release from the latter occurring more rapidly. Release from both fiber types was found to be largely governed by a diffusion-controlled mechanism; two sequential stages for drug release were observed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.