HMOX1 and epilepsy: However, vanillic acid treatment reversed the reduction of nuclear Nrf-2 and HO-1, and this was in accordance with the results of El-Hefnawy et al. [39] who reported that vanillic acid showed anti-epileptic and neuroprotective effects against PTZ-induced epilepsy which probably might be due to its antioxidant properties and upregulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.