In a rat middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, stroke model preconditioning with SFN one hour prior to stroke and reperfusion after four, 24, and 72 hours upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 expression leading to attenuation of BBB disruption, lesion progression as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging between 24 and 72 hours, and neurological dysfunction (based on motility, grasping reflex, and placing reaction) [151]. Here, HMOX1 is linked to stroke disorder.