A pharmaceutical composition, and a method using the composition, for prevention and/or treatment of fatty liver or hepatic disease, the composition comprising, as an active ingredient, a compound of the formula (1): where R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an acyl group, or an arylalkoxycarbonyl group; and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may combine to form a cycloalkyl group.