Cyclodextrin-inclusion complexes (CD-ICs) possess great prominence in food and pharmaceutical industries due to their enhanced ability for stabilization of active compounds during processing, storage and usage. Here, CD-IC of gallic acid (GA) with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (GA/HP beta CD-IC) was prepared and then incorporated into polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers (PLA/GA/HP beta CD-IC-NF) using electrospinning technique to observe the effect of CD-ICs in the release behavior of GA into three different mediums (water, 10% ethanol and 95% ethanol). The GA incorporated PLA nanofibers (PLA/GA-NFs) were served as control. Phase solubility studies showed an enhanced solubility of GA with increasing amount of HP beta CD. The detailed characterization techniques (XRD, TGA and H-1-NMR) confirmed the formation of inclusion complex between GA and HP beta CD. Computational modeling studies indicated that the GA made an efficient complex with HP beta CD at 1:1 either in vacuum or aqueous system. SEM images revealed the bead-free and uniform morphology of PLA/GA/HP beta CD-IC-NF. The release studies of GA from PLA/GA/HP beta CD-IC-NF and PLA/GA-NF were carried out in water, 10% ethanol and 95% ethanol, and the findings revealed that PLA/GA/HP beta CD-IC-NF has released much more amount of GA in water and 10% ethanol system when compared to PLA/GA-NF. In addition, GA was released slowly from PLA/GA/HP beta CD-IC-NF into 95% ethanol when compared to PLA/GA-NF. It was also observed that electrospinning process had no negative effect on the antioxidant activity of GA when GA was incorporated in PLA nanofibers. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.