It is intended to provide an osteogenesis promoter having aremarkable effect of positively promoting osteogenesis and thuspreventing/treating bone diseases； a preventive/a remedy for bonediseases such as osteoporosis having both of an osteogenesis-promotingeffect and a bone resorption-inhibiting effect； and a method of screeningan active ingredient for preventing/treating bone diseases by using acompound having both of an osteogenesis-promoting effect and a boneresorption-inhibiting effect as a lead compound. It is confirmed that.beta.-cryptoxanthin, which occurs in a large amount in peel and sarcocarp ofsatsuma orange, has an osteogenesis-promoting effect and a therapeuticeffect on bone disease. Thus, .beta.-cryptoxanthin or its composition is usedas an osteogenesis promoter, a preventive/a remedy for bone diseases, afunctional food or a food material for preventing/treating bone diseasesand a feed composition.
