Provided are a VEGF production promoter, a hair quality improver, and an external preparation for skin, each of which has a VEGF production promoting activity and can be used as a pharmaceutical agent, a cosmetic, a food, or a material therefor.The VEGF production promoter, the hair quality improver, and the external preparation for skin each comprises, as an active ingredient, a cycloartane-type glycoside represented by the following general formula (1) (where R represents a xylose residue or an arabinose residue, and the ring D moiety represents any one of the following moieties a to f (where R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl, group, R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, and Ac represents an acetyl group)).
