The electrospinning of nanofibers (NF) from cyclodextrin inclusion complexes (CD-IC) with an antibacterial agent (triclosan) was achieved without using any carrier polymeric matrix. Polymer-free triclosan/CD-IC NF were electrospun from highly concentrated (160% CD, w/w) aqueous triclosan/CD-IC suspension by using two types of chemically modified CD; hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP beta CD) and hydroxypropyl-gamma-cyclodextrin (HP gamma CD). The morphological characterization of the electrospun triclosan/CD-IC NF by SEM elucidated that the triclosan/HP beta CD-IC NF and triclosan/HP gamma CD-IC NF were bead-free having average fiber diameter of 520 +/- 250 nm and 1100 +/- 660 nm, respectively. The presence of triclosan and the formation of triclosan/CD-IC within the fiber structure were confirmed by H-1-NMR, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TGA studies. The initial 1:1 molar ratio of the triclosan:CD was kept for triclosan/HP beta CD-IC NF after the electrospinning and whereas 0.7:1 molar ratio was observed for triclosan/HP gamma CD-IC NF and some uncomplexed triclosan was detected suggesting that the complexation efficiency of triclosan with HP gamma CD was lower than that of HP beta CD. The antibacterial properties of triclosan/CD-IC NF were tested against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. It was observed that triclosan/HP beta CD-IC NF and triclosan/HP gamma CD-IC NF showed better antibacterial activity against both bacteria compared to uncomplexed pure triclosan. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.