Oxidoreductase acting on a broad range of substrates: reduces ketosteroids, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, sugars and other aliphatic aldehydes, and oxidizes hydroxysteroids. Aldehyde reductase that catalyzes the reduction of the aldehyde carbonyl groups on saturated and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. No activity on alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones. Can use propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, methylglyoxal, (E)-2-pentenal, (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenal and (E)-2-nonenal as substrates, propenal (acrolein), crotonaldehyde, but not 2-butanone, 3-buten-2-one or 1-penten-3-one. May function as detoxifiying enzyme by reducing a range of toxic aldehydes and ketones produced during stress.
