The British Pharmacopoeia (BP), after 150 years of publication, continues to help ensure the quality of medicinal substances globally. One of its key attributes has been to take advantage of novel science and this edition of the BP is no different. Authentication of botanical constituents, to ensure the safety and quality of Traditional Herbal Medicines, provides many challenges. With advances in molecular genetics, however, reliable methods of identifying herbs are now available. This has enabled the BP and the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) to work collaboratively and successfully on a pilot project to determine the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profile of Ocimum tenuif/orum. The BP 2016 introduces the species specific sequence of the selected barcode region in a new BP Appendix as an identification method for Ocimum tenuif/orum. General guidance on how to conduct DNA-based identification methods for herbal drugs is also included in this new Appendix. In addition to this innovation, the BP 2016 publishes new and revised monographs for substances and products used in a wide range of medicines. The collegial partnerships between the staff, the appointed experts of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission and international partners have enabled these important quality standards to be made publicly available.