The present invention relates to newly identified human ADHs belonging to the superfamily of mammalian alcohol dehydrogenases. The invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the ADHs. The invention further relates to methods using the ADH polypeptides and polynucleotides as a target for diagnosis and treatment in ADH-mediated or -related disorders. The invention further relates to drug-screening methods using the ADH polypeptides and polynucleotides to identify agonists and antagonists for diagnosis and treatment. The invention further encompasses agonists and antagonists based on the ADH polypeptides and polynucleotides. The invention further relates to procedures for producing the ADH polypeptides and polynucleotides.