In agriculture, there is a constant search for natural products with biological activities that minimize the environmental impact of various pesticides used such as insecticides. The chemical constituents present in plants have these activities and show promise in fighting pests in agriculture. An approach to the selection of new insecticides that fulfill the requirements of safety, efficacy and selectivity, can be through the study of defense mechanisms of plants. Recent studies have shown the potential insecticide substances and extracts isolated from plants against various insect pests that cause serious damage to crops or stored grain. These active ingredients are distributed by different plant organs and involved in secondary metabolism, are divided into three major groups: terpenes, phenols and nitrogenous compounds. Thus, this review aims to give an overview of the active ingredients obtained from plant extracts with potential insecticidal to Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).