Turmeric (Curcuma longa), java turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza) and cassumunar ginger (Zingiber
cassumunar) are widely used in traditional Indonesian medicine. These three herbs have relatively similar rhizomes
colour so it is difficult to be differentiated especially if they are in powder form. A rapid and reliable method, thin layer
chromatography (TLC) fingerprint, has been developed in order to identify, authenticate and differentiate these three
herbs through fingerprint profile of chemical compounds. TLC fingerprints of the three herbs were obtained by
visualization of separate zones with visible and UV (254 and 366 nm) light. The TLC fingerprint pattern is different
each other and showed a specific marker zones respectively. Therefore, TLC fingerprint can be utilized for
identification, authentication and differentiation method in quality control of the three herbs tested.